ADAPT: Approach to Dance for Autism

NCT ID: NCT07216768

Last Updated: 2025-10-15

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 32 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-08-25
• Study Completion Date: 2026-05-03

Brief Summary

It is well documented that motor impairments are associated with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Yet, appropriate therapies are scarce. Dance has been shown to not only promote fine and gross motor skills, but also psychological well-being, cognition, and social participation in neurotypical dancers. Little research has been conducted to gauge if these benefits translate to those with ASD. Ballet for all Kids (BFAK) is a recreational dance program that has been teaching ballet to children with ASD for over a decade, but has yet to be empirically studied. This study expands on the goals of former STUDY 24-00144, Approach to Dance for Autism (ADAPT), NCT06424366, to elucidate the impact of participation in a recreational dance program on children with ASD.

Detailed Description

The researchers aim to expand upon the pilot randomized trial (STUDY-24-00144) using BFAK's curriculum and structure to elucidate the impact of a recreational ballet program on the motor function and psychological, social, and behavioral skills of children with ASD. For the primary objective, the researchers hypothesize that after 12 weeks of participation in BFAK, children with ASD will improve their motor function. For the secondary objectives, the researchers hypothesize that after 12 weeks of participation in BFAK, children with ASD will improve their behavior and mood. This is a single site, randomized trial with 32 individuals diagnosed with ASD.

Participants will be placed in either Level 1 or Level 2 based on prior experience with BFAK. Participants returning from our pilot study will be placed into Level 2 at the discretion of the program coordinators, and all newly recruited participants will be placed in Level 1. BFAK ballet classes will begin in September and run for 45 minutes once a week for the intervention group. The waitlist control group will begin classes in January for 45 minutes once a week, ending in March 2026.

Conditions

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: OTHER
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Cohort 1 - Classes in fall

Participants randomly assigned to cohort 1 will begin classes in fall 2025. Parents/guardians will complete surveys just one time over the 12 week intervention

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Ballet Class

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Participants will attend weekly ballet classes following either Level 1 or Level 2 Ballet For All Kids (BFAK) curriculum.

Cohort 2 - Classes in spring

This cohort is a waitlist control. Parents/guardians will complete all surveys during the fall while their children do not receive the intervention. They will then receive the intervention in the spring and surveys will be completed again.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Ballet Class

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Participants will attend weekly ballet classes following either Level 1 or Level 2 Ballet For All Kids (BFAK) curriculum.

Interventions

Ballet Class

Participants will attend weekly ballet classes following either Level 1 or Level 2 Ballet For All Kids (BFAK) curriculum.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• 6-12 years age
• understand English or Spanish
• Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis
• not currently taking ballet class

Exclusion Criteria

• none

• Minimum Eligible Age: 6 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 12 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Ballet Academy East

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Alexander Kolevzon

Director of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry for the Mount Sinai Health System; Clinical Director of the Seaver Autism Center

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Michelle J Adler, BSc

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Locations

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

New York, New York, United States

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

United States

Central Contacts

Michelle J Adler, BSc

Role: CONTACT

michelle.adler@icahn.mssm.edu

650-556-4524

Noy Alon

Role: CONTACT

noy.alon@icahn.mssm.edu

Facility Contacts

Michelle J Adler

Role: primary

michelle.adler@icahn.mssm.edu

Other Identifiers

STUDY-25-00779

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id