Training Early Social Language in Autism
Purpose
The aim of the study is to determine whether a targeted behavioral intervention can lead to both changes in early communication skills and in neural responses in toddlers and preschoolers with autism.
Condition
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
Eligibility
- Eligible Ages
- Between 18 Months and 59 Months
- Eligible Genders
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria
- Children between the ages of 18 and 59 months with a confirmed or suspected DSM5 diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder - The included parents or guardians are required to be the primary caregivers of these children - Families must speak English in the home at least 75% of the time.
Exclusion Criteria
- Seizure disorder (may influence EEG data) - Gestational age <32 weeks - History of serious head trauma - Genetic syndrome (e.g., fragile X syndrome)
Study Design
- Phase
- N/A
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Parallel Assignment
- Primary Purpose
- Treatment
- Masking
- Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Arm Groups
Arm | Description | Assigned Intervention |
---|---|---|
Experimental Jasper |
JASPER (Joint Attention Symbolic Play Engagement Regulation) is a targeted intervention that focusses on early communication skills. |
|
Experimental Parent Education |
Parent education intervention focusses on parenting a child with autism. |
|
More Details
- Status
- Unknown status
- Sponsor
- Boston University Charles River Campus
Study Contact
Detailed Description
The mirror neuron system (MNS) broadly refers to a network of brain regions that responds both when a person performs an action and when that person observes someone else performing the same action. This system emerges in infancy and develops over time to support more complex social abilities. It has been hypothesized that autism involves fundamental impairments to the MNS, which can explain the deficits in joint attention, imitation, communication and social cognition. This study investigates the MNS in 100 toddlers and preschoolers recently diagnosed with autism or with a suspected diagnosis of autism. First, children with (suspected) autism complete a battery of behavioral measures and MNS activity will be assessed using electrophysiology (EEG; event-related potentials) while the child participates in specific tasks. Then, the children with (suspected) autism will be randomly assigned to one of two behavioral intervention programs (i.e., targeted joint attention intervention or parent education intervention) that will be carried out by interventionists and parents for 10-12 weeks. At the end of the intervention, these children will be re-evaluated on behavioral tasks and EEG to investigate changes as a result of the intervention. The investigators hypothesize that the joint attention intervention will lead to significant changes on both the neural and behavioral measures of MNS functioning.