The Effectiveness of an Attention-based Intervention for School Aged Autistic Children With Anger Regulating Problems

NCT ID: NCT05221515

Last Updated: 2022-02-03

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

51 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2011-01-01

Study Completion Date

2018-10-30

Brief Summary

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Children on the autism spectrum often show aggressive behavior. Treatment can train children to be more aware of their emotions. Investigators studied the effectiveness of an attention-based intervention tailored on aggressive behavior problems and the use of anger coping strategies of school aged autistic children with anger regulation problems.

Detailed Description

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Investigators studied the effectiveness of an attention-based intervention tailored on aggressive behavior problems and the use of anger coping strategies of school aged autistic children with anger regulation problems. Using a randomized controlled trial (RCT), children were allocated to the attention-based treatment in combination with a psycho-educational parent-training (treatment group) or to the parent-training only (active control group).

Conditions

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Autism Spectrum Disorder

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Intervention condition

Participants received both parent training and child-focussed treatment

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Anger can go!

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The intervention "Anger Can Go!" was designed to treat anger regulation problems in autistic children aged 8 to 13 years old. The intervention consists of nine sessions of 60 minutes and is divided in four phases. Phase 1: psycho-education, affect-education and measuring anger with an anger-thermometer. This is a self-report scale presented as the drawing of a thermometer, that allows the child to indicate his level of anger, as linked to specific bodily and behavioral representations on a scale from 0 to 3. Phase 2: making a functional behavior assessment (FBA) and taking a time-out at a low anger-level (between 1 and 2 on the scale 0 to 3) to prevent aggressive outbursts. Phase 3: taking a time-out at a low anger-level (between 1 and 2 on the scale 0 to 3) to prevent aggressive outbursts, shifting attention away from aversive stimuli, to cope with the stress of the anger provoking situation. Phase 4: creating solutions to cope with an anger provoking situation.

Parent psycho-education

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Three psycho-educational parent group sessions (take place before the children's sessions in intervention group). Parents meet with other parents and a therapist to learn about the nature of their Expressed Emotion (EE) and how it relates to the child's aggressive behavior.

Control condition

Participants received only parent training

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Parent psycho-education

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Three psycho-educational parent group sessions (take place before the children's sessions in intervention group). Parents meet with other parents and a therapist to learn about the nature of their Expressed Emotion (EE) and how it relates to the child's aggressive behavior.

Interventions

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Anger can go!

The intervention "Anger Can Go!" was designed to treat anger regulation problems in autistic children aged 8 to 13 years old. The intervention consists of nine sessions of 60 minutes and is divided in four phases. Phase 1: psycho-education, affect-education and measuring anger with an anger-thermometer. This is a self-report scale presented as the drawing of a thermometer, that allows the child to indicate his level of anger, as linked to specific bodily and behavioral representations on a scale from 0 to 3. Phase 2: making a functional behavior assessment (FBA) and taking a time-out at a low anger-level (between 1 and 2 on the scale 0 to 3) to prevent aggressive outbursts. Phase 3: taking a time-out at a low anger-level (between 1 and 2 on the scale 0 to 3) to prevent aggressive outbursts, shifting attention away from aversive stimuli, to cope with the stress of the anger provoking situation. Phase 4: creating solutions to cope with an anger provoking situation.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Parent psycho-education

Three psycho-educational parent group sessions (take place before the children's sessions in intervention group). Parents meet with other parents and a therapist to learn about the nature of their Expressed Emotion (EE) and how it relates to the child's aggressive behavior.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Primary diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder
* age 8 - 13
* seeking treatment for aggressive behaviour problems

Exclusion Criteria

* psychotropic medication still being set
Minimum Eligible Age

8 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

13 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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VU University of Amsterdam

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Sander Begeer

Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Frits Boer, PhD

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

Academisch Medisch Centrum - Universiteit van Amsterdam (AMC-UvA)

Locations

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De Bascule

Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands

Site Status

Wei43

Amsterdam, , Netherlands

Site Status

Countries

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Netherlands

References

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Other Identifiers

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BOBpaper2021

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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