Replication of the The Multi-Media Social Skills Project for Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders

NCT ID: NCT01836965

Last Updated: 2019-03-13

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 155 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2013-03-31
• Study Completion Date: 2018-04-09

Brief Summary

The objective of this study is to validate a social skills training program manual for adolescents (ages 13-17) with Asperger's Syndrome or high functioning autism. Approximately 150 adolescents with autism spectrum disorders will participate in this study, in groups consisting of 6 adolescents and 6 peer volunteers. Participants will participate in both group therapy and peer generalization sessions (in the form of a photography class) once a week over the course of twelve weeks. Participants and their parents will complete paper and pencil, online, or phone measures and video-recordings to assess the participant's social skills prior to the intervention, at completion of the intervention and three months later.

Detailed Description

This study is a pre-test, post-test single group design with post test measures at one week after completion of intervention and follow-up at three months. Approximately 300 adolescents will participate in this study. The study will be conducted in ten cohorts of 12. Each cohort will have 6 participants and 6 adolescent volunteers (peers). Cohorts will be run in a time sequential manner with up to four cohorts running at a time. Participants and their parents will complete pre-test measures including both paper and pencil, online, or phone measures and a video-recording to assess the participant's social interaction skills and fluency. These adolescents will participate in both group therapy and peer generalization sessions once a week over the course of twelve weeks. Upon completion of the intervention, participants and parents will complete paper and pencil, online, or phone measures and video post-test measures. Participants will be encouraged to participate in a follow-up session where the paper and pencil and video measures will be completed again.

Conditions

Autism Spectrum Disorders

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Social Skills Intervention

The intervention is a 12-week social skills training program that will consist of a 90 minute group therapy session followed by a 90 minute peer generalization session (in the form of a photography class with typically developing peers) meeting once per week. Each cohort will consist of 6 adolescents with Aspergers or high-functioning autism, who will be joined by 6 typically-developing peers for the photography class. During the group therapy session adolescents will discuss and watch video clips addressing social skills topics relevant to their age group. They will have a chance to practice these skills when paired with a typically developing peer for the photography class.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Social Skills Intervention

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Twelve week manual based social skills curriculum targeting social fluency and responsiveness.

Interventions

Social Skills Intervention

Twelve week manual based social skills curriculum targeting social fluency and responsiveness.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Between 13 and 17 years of age
• Must be a Pennsylvania resident
• A primary diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome or high-functioning autism, as confirmed by the Checklist for Autism Spectrum Disorders (CASD; Mayes, 2012)
• English as primary language spoken
• Ability to fluently speak in full sentences
• A verbal IQ of 85 or above on the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test, Second Edition(KBIT-2; Kaufman & Kaufman, 1990)

Exclusion Criteria

• A significant language delay
• Difficulty with aggression directed at peers
• A primary thought disorder
• A secondary disorder of anxiety or depression so severe as to prevent the individual's participation in the treatment
• Low social motivation demonstrated through formalized assessment and/or by responses given to screening interviews assessing treatment goals

• Minimum Eligible Age: 13 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 17 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Michael Murray

MD

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Michael Murray, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Penn State College of Medicine

Locations

Penn State Hershey Psychiatry Clinic

Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

42565EP

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id