Comparing Imitation and Stereotyped Behaviors in Autistic Children: Robots vs. Human Operators
NCT ID: NCT06144528
Last Updated: 2023-11-22
Study Results
The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.
Basic Information
Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.
NOT_YET_RECRUITING
30 participants
OBSERVATIONAL
2023-12-01
2024-04-30
Brief Summary
Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.
It uses facial expressions, gestures, and movements to communicate, encouraging engagement and supporting learning through playful and educational activities. Its ergonomic design and interactive approach make it suitable for both clinical and educational settings.
The aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness of the QTrobot in interventions for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and to assess whether children's attention and imitation are equally effective with the QTrobot compared to interacting with a human being.
Furthermore, the presence of significant differences between motor and expressive imitation, when interacting with the robot as opposed to a human interlocutor, will be investigated. A key aspect of this investigation is to assess whether the presence of the QTrobot can positively influence the repetitive or stereotyped behaviors exhibited by the children, compared to interaction with a person. Additionally, to further understanding, the children's heart rate will be monitored through the use of a sensor that will allow to evaluate how heart rate affects performance outcomes during interaction with the QTrobot and with a human being.
In this study, children will be recruited to take part in two separate sessions, both involving the same task. During the first session, the task will be carried out between the child and the human operator. Subsequently, in the same task, the child will interact with the QT robot. Throughout both task administrations, the child will wear a sensor to detect their heart rate. Furthermore, all task sessions will be video-recorded to conduct subsequent video analysis and make notes on imitation behaviors and stereotypical actions relevant to the study.
Detailed Description
Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.
Conditions
See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.
Study Design
Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.
CASE_ONLY
CROSS_SECTIONAL
Study Groups
Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.
Children with autism spectrum condition
Thirty Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) children with medium-high functioning, aged 4 to 13 years, IQ \> 75, in the absence of motor deficits due to another clinical condition.
QT robot
In a single session each child will be video-recorded while performing the task. The participant subjects will perform the same task at two different times, once with the human operator and once with the Qt robot. Both tasks will have a duration of approximately 4 minutes. During the first minute, both the operator and the Qt will introduce themselves and ask four questions to the child to deepen the acquaintance. In the second minute, the operator/Qt will tell a story. In the third minute, the operator/Qt will ask to imitate 4 motor movements, while in the fourth minute, the operator/Qt will ask to imitate 4 facial expressions.
Interventions
Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.
QT robot
In a single session each child will be video-recorded while performing the task. The participant subjects will perform the same task at two different times, once with the human operator and once with the Qt robot. Both tasks will have a duration of approximately 4 minutes. During the first minute, both the operator and the Qt will introduce themselves and ask four questions to the child to deepen the acquaintance. In the second minute, the operator/Qt will tell a story. In the third minute, the operator/Qt will ask to imitate 4 motor movements, while in the fourth minute, the operator/Qt will ask to imitate 4 facial expressions.
Eligibility Criteria
Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.
Inclusion Criteria
* QI ≥ 75
Exclusion Criteria
4 Years
13 Years
ALL
Yes
Sponsors
Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.
Messina, Italy
OTHER
Istituto per la Ricerca e l'Innovazione Biomedica
OTHER
Responsible Party
Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.
Flavia Marino
Head of Unit
Principal Investigators
Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.
Flavia Marino
Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation (IRIB) - National Research Council (CNR)
Locations
Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.
Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation (IRIB) - National Research Council (CNR)
Messina, , Italy
Countries
Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.
Central Contacts
Reach out to these primary contacts for questions about participation or study logistics.
References
Explore related publications, articles, or registry entries linked to this study.
Costa AP, Charpiot L, Lera FR, Ziafati P, Nazarikhorram A, van der Torre L, Steffgen GA (2018) Comparison between a person and a robot in the attention, imitation, and repetitive and stereotypical behaviors of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. In: Proceedings workshop on Social human-robot interaction of human-care service robots at HRI2018
Zheng Z, Young EM, Swanson AR, Weitlauf AS, Warren ZE, Sarkar N. Robot-Mediated Imitation Skill Training for Children With Autism. IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng. 2016 Jun;24(6):682-91. doi: 10.1109/TNSRE.2015.2475724. Epub 2015 Sep 3.
Zorcec T, Ilijoski B, Simlesa S, Ackovska N, Rosandic M, Popcevic K, Robins B, Nitzan N, Cappel D, Blum R. Enriching Human-Robot Interaction with Mobile App in Interventions of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Pril (Makedon Akad Nauk Umet Odd Med Nauki). 2021 Oct 26;42(2):51-59. doi: 10.2478/prilozi-2021-0021.
Other Identifiers
Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.
CNR-IRIB-PRO-2023-005
Identifier Type: -
Identifier Source: org_study_id