BRIDGE-CPT

The BRIDGE-CPT study (Building Relationships through Inclusive co-Design to Guide Effective Communication Partner Training) co-designed communication support for autistic youth and people close to them. Data was collected from November 2025 to April 2026.

BRIDGE-CPT was led by Maya Albin (CanChild PhD Candidate), supervised by Dr. Michelle Phoenix (CanChild Scientist), alongside a team of autistic youth and adults.

BRIDGE-CPT aimed to understand what autistic youth, speech-language pathologists, and people close to autistic youth (i.e., parents, siblings, close friends) think is important to create more successful and supportive communication interactions. Participants provided their perspectives in interviews and then worked together to co-design resources based on the interview themes. We also wanted to study how participants experienced the co-design process. Study participants filled out the Public and Patient Engagement Evaluation Tool (PPEET) and provided feedback throughout the study on their co-design experience

All study components were online. There were three study parts, all of which invited the same three groups of people: (a) autistic youth (ages 15-24); (b) people close to autistic youth; and (c) speech-language pathologists:

Part 1 - Interviews: We conducted 40 interviews to understand participants’ experiences with communication, and what role communication partners play in communication with autistic youth. Participants talked about how the environment impacts communication, common communication preferences and needs among autistic youth, and the importance of non-spoken communication options, among other themes.

Part 2 - Small focus groups: After analyzing the interviews, we invited participants back to join one of six 2-hour small focus groups. Each small group included all three participant groups working together. Each group explored one theme from the interviews and co-designed resources to teach that theme’s content. Examples of resources included infographics, graphic novels and interactive worksheets about communication.

Part 3 - Large focus group: Our team then made prototypes based on the ideas generated in the small groups. For example, the small group focused on the theme ‘what it means to be autistic’ made a graphic novel. Their graphic novel portrays a neurotypical alien arriving to a new planet, Neurodiversica, who learns from autistic characters about what life and communication are like for them. Finally, we presented the prototypes back to participants and got their feedback – check out the final versions in our resources tab!

Funding

BRIDGE-CPT was funded by Maya Albin’s Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Canada Graduate Scholarship Doctoral award (SSHRC CGS-D), Autism Alliance of Canada Data-to-Policy Fellowship, and seed grant from McMaster’s Equity-based Co-Creation Hub.