Active clinical trials for "Autistic Disorder"

The Social ABCs is an evidence-based, developmentally informed, caregiver-mediated behavioural intervention for toddlers with suspected or confirmed Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It is based on principles of Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT, grounded in Applied Behaviour Analysis), and responsive parenting. The two key targets of this program are functional verbal communication and positive caregiver-child affect sharing. This intervention takes place in the context of play and daily routines, and in all contexts is made to be fun, natural and motivating for the child. In both a pilot study and a recently completed randomized control trial, toddlers whose caregivers received training in the Social ABCs intervention showed significant gains in early language development (both responsivity and initiations), increased child smiling (mediated by parent smiling), and a trend toward increased social orienting (one important manifestation of social attention). Despite the social-communication benefits demonstrated through the Social ABCs, the research team is also motivated to foster the attentional abilities of toddlers with emerging ASD in response to compelling evidence that early attentional control abilities may play a central role in the emergence of ASD. Based on this knowledge, the current study targets not only social-communication challenges and affect sharing (as per the existing Social ABCs intervention), but also attentional control in toddlers with suspected or confirmed ASD. Using a structured, computerized attention-training protocol, this RCT evaluates the impact of supplementing the standard Social ABCs intervention with pre-intervention attentional control training.

Individuals with high functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently experience obsessions and/or compulsions that are similar to those specified in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5) criteria for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). However, little research exists on effective interventions for OCD symptoms (referred to as OCBs) in ASD. In a randomized controlled trial, a manualized functional behavior-based cognitive-behavior therapy (Fb-CBT) consisting of traditional CBT components (psychoeducation and mapping, cognitive-behavioral skills training, exposure, and response prevention) as well as function-based behavioral assessment will be evaluated. Participants will be assigned randomly to Fb-CBT or treatment as usual (TAU). Primary and secondary outcome measures will be used to evaluate the efficacy of the treatment, and will be administered at pre and post-intervention as well as six month follow-up.

Play skills and participation of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have been restricted by their core symptoms, resulting in heightened parenting stress and affected family daily life. This research aims to improve play skills and participation of children with ASD through 'family-centered occupational therapy', thereby leading to positive outcome for not only the child but also the whole family.

The purpose of this pilot study is to compare an innovative toilet training strategy with a standard behavioral intervention in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as implemented by teachers in the school setting. Thirty classrooms with a total of 60 children with ASD (aged 3 - 10 years) will be enrolled in the study. Each classroom will be randomly assigned to either the innovative strategy group or the standard behavioral group. The innovative strategy employs an electronic moisture pager that sends a signal when the child begins having a urine accident. Outcome measures include rate of urine accidents and rate of toilet use in the two groups.

The aim of the research project is to conduct evidence-based research on a nationally known vocational rehabilitation (VR) service model (Project Search) for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). This information may be useful to high schools and vocational rehabilitation agencies that endeavor to use evidence based practices to serve individuals with ASD.

Overview The goal of Comprehensive Communication Intervention for Minimally Verbal Children with Autism is to conduct an efficacy study of a promising intervention to increase spoken language in preschool children who are minimally verbal. The proposed study compares a comprehensive communication intervention (JASP- EMT Plus; JEP) to a business as usual (BAU) control group in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) across 4 time points. The study replicates and extends procedures used by Kasari, Kaiser et al (2014) to successfully promote social communication in older minimally verbal children. Intervention components include: (1) Joint Attention, Structured Play, Engagement and Regulation and Enhanced Milieu Teaching (JASP- EMT), (2) applied with systematic parent training, (3) use of speech generating device (SGD) and (4) supplementary direct teaching of foundational skills for language learning as indicated by child entry skills (CORE-DTT; Smith, 2009). Children who remain minimally verbal beyond age 5 are at high risk for persistent, severe communication deficits that impact social development, educational achievement and quality of life (Tager-Flusberg & Kasari, 2013). Thus, there is an urgent need for effective strategies to promote communication development during the preschool years to ameliorate early communication deficits and prevent persistent minimally verbal status. This study aims to change social communication in minimally verbal preschool children with ASD by applying a naturalistic social communication intervention which teaches the social foundations of communication and functional use of verbal language in play and interaction. In addition, the intervention addresses three factors that may contribute to remaining minimally verbal: lack of an effective mode of speech production, lack of foundational skills for learning language (receptive language, imitation, joint attention), and lack of communication partners to support continued language learning in natural environments.

Under double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over conditions, the short-term effects of use of A1 beta casein free milk (a2 milk) and milk containing A1 beta casein will be compared in a sample of pre-pubescent boys diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with concurrent features of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

The purpose of this study is to find out about the potential benefits and safety of brexpiprazole in children and adolescent participants, aged 5 to 17, with irritability associated with autism spectrum disorder.

This study was a 4-year efficacy trial (cluster randomized trial) of a comprehensive school-based intervention (CSBI) for high-functioning elementary students with autism spectrum disorder (HFASD). The sample included children, in grades 1-5 with HFASD enrolled in public schools. School buildings were randomly assigned to either receive the CSBI or serve as the control comparison (business-as-usual [BAU]). School staff in the CSBI schools administered social skills groups (60-90 minutes per week), facial-emotion recognition computer instruction (60 minutes per week), therapeutic activities (40-60 minutes per week), a behavioral reinforcement system (across the school day), and parent training (60-90 minutes per month) during the school year. Children with HFASD in the BAU schools received their typical educational program. Implementation fidelity was assessed by research assistants throughout the school year in the CSBI schools using standardized fidelity monitoring sheets. The fidelity monitoring sheets were also completed by research assistants during observations in the BAU schools in order to identify the possible presence of any of the treatment elements in the control (BAU) schools. Outcome measures were completed for both groups at baseline (6 weeks into the school year prior to the initiation of the intervention) and at the end of the school year following completion of the intervention. Primary outcome measures included a test of emotion recognition and parent-teacher ratings of ASD symptoms and secondary measures included parent-teacher ratings of social/social-communication skills, a test of academic achievement skills, and a direct behavioral measure of social interaction skills (child testing and behavioral observations were completed by evaluators blinded to treatment condition; parent-teacher raters were not blinded to treatment condition). For the primary measures/analyses, it was hypothesized that students with HFASD who complete the CSBI will demonstrate significantly greater emotion-recognition skills and receive significantly lower parent-teacher ratings of ASD symptoms compared to controls. For the secondary measures/analyses, it was hypothesized that students with HFASD who complete the CSBI will receive significantly higher parent-teacher ratings of social/social-communication skills, demonstrate significantly higher academic skills, and exhibit significantly higher rates of social interactions with peers compared to controls.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether the Erchonia HLS Laser is effective in the treatment of irritability associated with autistic disorder in children and adolescents aged five (5) to seventeen (17) years.