Neurodiversity-Affirming Scholarship: The PAUSE Program Pilot Study

Professor and Chair Dr. Emily Rothman, ScD, is serving as principal investigator on an innovative interdisciplinary research team funded by the Organization for Autism Research (OAR) to develop the PAUSE Program which will be offered in collaboration with the Association for Autism and Neurodiversity (AANE). The PAUSE Program represents a novel, manualized intervention designed as an online, multi-session workshop addressing depression, anxiety, and self-compassion in autistic adults aged 18 and older.

The PAUSE Program comprises a series of six, ninety-minute synchronous sessions delivered by a multidisciplinary instructional team. The instructional team includes a clinical psychologist with established expertise in autism research, as well as an autistic adult educator and advocate. Program sessions will focus on defining depression and anxiety, recognizing signs and experiences of depression and anxiety, boosting self-compassion, and carrying these lessons into daily living. Participants will also receive coaching from Clinical Assistant Professor Kate Stewart, OT, PhD, OTR, OT Reg. (Ont.). Coaching sessions will focus on supporting participants to apply the skills learned in the instructional sessions to their own lives. 

A distinguishing feature of the PAUSE Program is its interdisciplinary nature. The research team is composed of individuals with backgrounds in occupational therapy, psychology, public health, and education. The PAUSE Program has been informed by an advisory board of autistic adults, and emphasizes a commitment to a neurodiversity-embracing perspective. 

The first round of the PAUSE Program, launched in October 2025, involves a total of eight participants. Registration is now open for the second round of the program, which will begin in January 2026. For more information or to sign up to participate in the PAUSE Program please click here.