Study of the Personal Identity in Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder Without Intellectual Deficiency

NCT ID: NCT02747056

Last Updated: 2025-12-19

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

102 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2016-06-30

Study Completion Date

2019-10-11

Brief Summary

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The research aims at clarifying the impact of autism on personal identity in adulthood. Two studies will be made in order to compare adults with autistic spectrum disorders without intellectual deficiency and controls. In the first study (Study A), the investigators will ask subjects to tell autobiographical memories and to specify their characteristics by answering focused questions. In the second study (Study B), the investigators will ask subjects to say the self statements which define them. Then, subjects will have to tell and to specify the characteristics of the autobiographical memories linked to these self statements.

Detailed Description

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Introduction:

Autism associates impairments in social relationships and specific competencies linked to restricted interests. These interests usually focus on mathematics, drawings or foreign language learning and are very significant in the autobiographies of persons with autism without intellectual deficiency. It's seem to be a basement of their self-identity. The personal identity relies on both the self representations and the sense of self. This sense of self supports the self continuity through time which links the present feelings, the autobiographical memories and the future personals projects. The personal identity depends on the memory of life events called "autobiographical memory."

Objectives:

The research aims at clarifying the impact of autism on personal identity in adulthood. Two studies will be made in order to compare adults with autistic spectrum disorders without intellectual deficiency and controls. In the first study (Study A), the investigators will ask subjects to tell autobiographical memories and to specify their characteristics by answering focused questions. In the second study (Study B), the investigators will ask subjects to say the self statements which define them. Then, subjects will have to tell and to specify the characteristics of the autobiographical memories linked to these self statements.

Expected Results:

The first study will inform the investigators on the sense of self and self continuity through time. The investigators predict that it would be difficult for subjects with autism spectrum disorders to give details of their life events. The focused questions should make easier the recollection of the memories. The investigators hypothesize that the memories linked to the typically autistic restricted interests would be more detailed.

The second study will inform the investigators on the memories linked to self representations. The investigators predict that these memories would be, in autism, less detailed and less important for identity. The investigators also hypothesize that the memories linked to the restricted interests would be more detailed and important for the self.

Autobiographical memory and socialization are deeply interconnected. So, the investigators think that this research will help them to elaborate news therapies focused on autobiographical memory improvement. Finally, the investigators want to reduce the social disability in autism.

Conditions

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Autism Spectrum Disorders

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NON_RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Autism spectrum disorder studyA part1

The subjects will perform clinical, psychological and neuropsychological assessment. the subjects will do 3 tests about executive functions. Finally, the participants will complete 3 questionnaires about autism and 3 questionnaires about the self concept.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

No interventions assigned to this group

Autism spectrum disorder studyA part2

The subjects will perform Autobiographical memories Assessment. The subjects will tell autobiographical memories freely first and secondly by answering focused questions to specify the characteristics of subjects' memories

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Autobiographical memories Assessment

Intervention Type OTHER

The investigators will ask subjects to tell autobiographical memories freely first and, secondly, to specify participants'characteristics by answering focused questions.

Control adults Study A, part 1

The subjects will perform clinical, psychological and neuropsychological assessment. The subjects will do 3 tests about executive functions. The participants will complete 3 questionnaires about autism and 3 questionnaires about the self concept.

Group Type OTHER

clinical, psychological and neuropsychological assessment

Intervention Type OTHER

the subjects will do 3 tests about executive functions, complete 3 questionnaires about autism and 3 questionnaires about the self concept

Control adults Study A, part 2

The subjects will perform Autobiographical memories Assessment. The subjects will tell autobiographical memories freely first and secondly by answering focused questions to specify the characteristics of subjects' memories

Group Type OTHER

Autobiographical memories Assessment

Intervention Type OTHER

The investigators will ask subjects to tell autobiographical memories freely first and, secondly, to specify participants'characteristics by answering focused questions.

Autism spectrum disorder Study B, part 1

The subjects will perform clinical, psychological and neuropsychological assessment. The subjects will do 3 tests about executive functions. The participants will complete 3 questionnaires about autism and 3 questionnaires about the self concept.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

clinical, psychological and neuropsychological assessment

Intervention Type OTHER

the subjects will do 3 tests about executive functions, complete 3 questionnaires about autism and 3 questionnaires about the self concept

Autism spectrum disorder Study B, part 2

The subjects will perform Autobiographical memories assessment characteristics. The subjects will say the self statements which define them. Then, the participants will have to tell and specify the characteristics of the autobiographical memories linked to the self statements.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Autobiographical memories assessment characteristics

Intervention Type OTHER

During the second time point, the investigators will ask subjects to say the self statements which define them. Then, subjects will have to tell and to specify the characteristics of the autobiographical memories linked to these self statements.

Control adults, Study B part 1

The subjects will perform clinical, psychological and neuropsychological assessment.The subjects will do 3 tests about executive functions. Finally, the participants will complete 3 questionnaires about autism and 3 questionnaires about the self concept.

Group Type OTHER

clinical, psychological and neuropsychological assessment

Intervention Type OTHER

the subjects will do 3 tests about executive functions, complete 3 questionnaires about autism and 3 questionnaires about the self concept

Control adults, Study B part 2

The subjects will perform Autobiographical memories assessment characteristics. The subjects will say the self statements which define them. Then, the participants will have to tell and specify the characteristics of the autobiographical memories linked to the self statements

Group Type OTHER

Autobiographical memories assessment characteristics

Intervention Type OTHER

During the second time point, the investigators will ask subjects to say the self statements which define them. Then, subjects will have to tell and to specify the characteristics of the autobiographical memories linked to these self statements.

Interventions

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clinical, psychological and neuropsychological assessment

the subjects will do 3 tests about executive functions, complete 3 questionnaires about autism and 3 questionnaires about the self concept

Intervention Type OTHER

Autobiographical memories Assessment

The investigators will ask subjects to tell autobiographical memories freely first and, secondly, to specify participants'characteristics by answering focused questions.

Intervention Type OTHER

Autobiographical memories assessment characteristics

During the second time point, the investigators will ask subjects to say the self statements which define them. Then, subjects will have to tell and to specify the characteristics of the autobiographical memories linked to these self statements.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* adults with autism spectrum disorders
* 18 to 65 years old


* healthy volunteers
* 18 to 65 years old

Exclusion Criteria

* treatment with benzodiazepines

Study A \& B, control adults


* psychiatric disorders
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

65 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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University Hospital, Strasbourg, France

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Jean Marie DANION, Prof

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg

Locations

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Hôpitaux universitaires de Strasbourg

Strasbourg, , France

Site Status

Countries

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France

References

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Coutelle R, Goltzene MA, Bizet E, Schoenberger M, Berna F, Danion JM. Self-concept Clarity and Autobiographical Memory Functions in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder Without Intellectual Deficiency. J Autism Dev Disord. 2020 Nov;50(11):3874-3882. doi: 10.1007/s10803-020-04447-x.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 32146597 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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6282

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id