# Mental Health in Autistic Adults:  An RDoC Approach

> **NIH NIH P50** · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · 2024 · $404,729

## Abstract

Administrative Core Abstract
To operate a cohesive, coordinated, and effective Program Project, central coordination is required. The
Administrative Core provides the organizational structure and supports integration of the Cores and Research
Projects. The Administrative Core is led by Dr. Mazefsky, Program Director, a clinical psychologist and
Professor who has specialized in emotion dysregulation and mental health in autism across the lifespan for
more than 15 years. She is supported by Administrative Core Co-I’s, Dr. Brent, UPMC Endowed Chair of
Suicide Studies, Dr. Iyengar, Professor and Chair of Statistics, Dr. Karim, a Bioengineer and K-awardee, and
Ms. Meranike Giwa Onaiwu an autistic, non-binary educator, parent to autistic and non-autistic children, and
global advocate who is American-born to immigrant parents. The Administrative Core includes two boards: 1)
the Steering Committee, which includes all Project and Core Investigators and Leads, and 2) the External
Partners Board, which is co-led by two females (an autistic psychiatrist and psychologist researcher) and
included scientists with a wide array of expertise, autistic adults, parents, and advocacy group leaders. The
goals of the Administrative Core are to: 1) Supervise of all Center administrative functions (scheduling
meetings, setting and evaluating milestones, data requests, resolving conflict and ensuring open
communication among Center investigators and staff), 2) Oversee the Center budget, including expenditures
and allocation of funds according to Center priorities and distribution of Core resources, 3) Monitor compliance
with Federal and University policies and procedures, such as NIH Public Access Policy, Data Sharing Plan,
Conflict of Interest, and Human Subjects Research Protection, 4) Develop and provide oversight of the Center
Database, 5) Create databases that integrate different data streams for integrative analyses and other data
requests, 6) Submit data to NIMH Data Archive twice per year, 7) Review requests for data and new projects,
8) Provide statistical oversight regarding integrative analyses; and 9) Organize the External Partners Board
Meetings.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10902124
- **Project number:** 5P50MH130957-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- **Principal Investigator:** Carla A Mazefsky
- **Activity code:** P50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $404,729
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-09-06 → 2027-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10902124

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10902124, Mental Health in Autistic Adults:  An RDoC Approach (5P50MH130957-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10902124. Licensed CC0.

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