Sand Play vs. Cuff Training: Visual-Motor Skills in Autism

NCT ID: NCT06943248

Last Updated: 2025-04-24

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 30 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-04-15
• Study Completion Date: 2025-08-15

Brief Summary

This study compares Image-Sand Play Therapy and Tabletop Training with Weighted Cuffs for improving Visual-Motor Integration (VMI) in children with autism. A 12-week randomized controlled trial will be conducted at Tanzeem-ul-Nisan, Faisalabad. Beery VMI will assess outcomes. Data will be analyzed using SPSS-23. Non-probability conventional sampling will be used. Sessions occur twice weekly.

Detailed Description

This study compares the effectiveness of Image-Sand Play Therapy and Tabletop Training with Weighted Cuffs in improving Visual-Motor Integration (VMI) in children with autism.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial will be conducted with children diagnosed with autism from Tanzeem-ul-Nisan, Faisalabad. Participants will be randomly assigned to either intervention group. Both therapies will run for 12 weeks, with two sessions per week.

Image-Sand Play Therapy: Creative sand tray play guided by a therapist.

Tabletop Training: Structured tasks with weighted cuffs for proprioceptive input.

Assessment Tool: Beery VMI

Sampling: Non-probability conventional sampling

Data Analysis: SPSS version 23, using baseline, mid, and post-intervention scores to compare effectiveness.

Conditions

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: OTHER
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Image-Sand Play Therapy

Group A will perform Image-Sand Play Therapy Group had 12 week the one to one intervention provided once a week 30 min in each.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Image-Sand Play Therapy

Intervention Type: OTHER

Over the course of seven sessions, the child initially engaged in chaotic sandbox play, showing difficulty in altering or organizing his scenes. By the fourth session, he began experimenting with different symbols, including familiar TV characters. From the fifth session onward, his play gained structure, evolving into strategic battle scenarios involving animals, loggers, and castles. By the seventh session, hero figures emerged, and the therapist noted improved classroom behavior and cooperation, though social challenges with peers remained.

Table Top Training Program with Weighted Cuff

Table Top training Program Duration: 12 week Patient perform twice a week each item 5 min with 1 min preparation between task

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Table Top Training Program with Weighted Cuff

Intervention Type: OTHER

Task include: Stacking cones Lift a cone with one hand and stack it on top of a fixed cone. (The difficulty level was controlled by using resistance bands of varying weights or instructing patients to sit or stand while performing the task.) Task Therapy Program Stacking 3 × 3 cm blocks Pick up blocks one at a time by using one hand and stack them. (The difficulty level was controlled by using resistance bands of varying weights.) Tailwind Use both hands to push the handles of an instrument up and down to the sounds of a metronome.

(The difficulty level was controlled by varying the angle.) Pinch exerciser Take a pinch pin and put it on a rod. (The difficulty level was controlled by varying the resistance of the pinch pin (5 grades) and the diameter of the rod (3 grades).) O'Connor Tweezer Dexterity Test Pick up a pin (2.5 cm long) and put it in a 15 mm hole. (The difficulty level was controlled by using different tweezers.)

Interventions

Image-Sand Play Therapy

Over the course of seven sessions, the child initially engaged in chaotic sandbox play, showing difficulty in altering or organizing his scenes. By the fourth session, he began experimenting with different symbols, including familiar TV characters. From the fifth session onward, his play gained structure, evolving into strategic battle scenarios involving animals, loggers, and castles. By the seventh session, hero figures emerged, and the therapist noted improved classroom behavior and cooperation, though social challenges with peers remained.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Table Top Training Program with Weighted Cuff

Task include: Stacking cones Lift a cone with one hand and stack it on top of a fixed cone. (The difficulty level was controlled by using resistance bands of varying weights or instructing patients to sit or stand while performing the task.) Task Therapy Program Stacking 3 × 3 cm blocks Pick up blocks one at a time by using one hand and stack them. (The difficulty level was controlled by using resistance bands of varying weights.) Tailwind Use both hands to push the handles of an instrument up and down to the sounds of a metronome.

(The difficulty level was controlled by varying the angle.) Pinch exerciser Take a pinch pin and put it on a rod. (The difficulty level was controlled by varying the resistance of the pinch pin (5 grades) and the diameter of the rod (3 grades).) O'Connor Tweezer Dexterity Test Pick up a pin (2.5 cm long) and put it in a 15 mm hole. (The difficulty level was controlled by using different tweezers.)

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Age 5-8 yrs

• A diagnosed by Autism
• Guardian of child patients signed the informed consent
• Both gender male and female

Exclusion Criteria

• Complication of serious medical disease

• Children and parents who cannot comply with the research
• Surgical procedures performed in the year prior to the study
• Poor medical conditions preventing participation

• Minimum Eligible Age: 5 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 8 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Riphah International University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Hamna Faisal, MA-PPT

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Rihah International University

Central Contacts

MRAN AMJAD, PhD

Role: CONTACT

imran.amjad@riphah.edu.pk

033224390125

Muhammad Asif Javed, MS-PPT

Role: CONTACT

a.javed@riphah.edu.pk

03224209422

References

Patil O, Kaple M. Sensory Processing Differences in Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Narrative Review of Underlying Mechanisms and Sensory-Based Interventions. Cureus. 2023 Oct 31;15(10):e48020. doi: 10.7759/cureus.48020. eCollection 2023 Oct.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 38034138 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

REC/RCR/AHS/24/0750

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id