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Purpose

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the behavior analytic intervention in reducing the number of challenging behaviors exhibited by patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) while increasing compliance with needle-related simulations and procedures. A second purpose is to assess the social validity of this study as evidenced by patient and/or caregiver acceptability. The study wil take place at Boston Medical Center (BMC). A Single Subject Design (SSD) wil be utilized as it allows for detailed, individualized assessment of how interventions affect behavior over time in this type of behavior analytic research. By focusing on each participant as an individual and having each participant act as their own control, it demonstrates clear cause-and-effect relationships, showing how behavior changes with the introduction or withdrawal of an intervention. This method is flexible, enabling ongoing adjustments to treatments based on real-time data, making it particularly useful in personalized interventions and ensuring effectiveness for patients with unique needs such as those who would be eligible to enroll and participate in this study.

Condition

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Over 3 Years
Eligible Sex
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No

Inclusion Criteria

  • Caregivers of autistic patients who have been historically engaged in challenging behaviors during needle-related procedures at a Boston Medical Center (BMC) - Established BMC autistic patients (ages 3+) who have a history of engaging in challenging behaviors in the presence of needle-related medical stimuli. - BMC Medical Providers (i.e., phlebotomists, medical doctors, registered nurses, certified nursing assistants, registered dieticians, and medical assistants) who either: 1) order needle-related medical procedures for participants to be conducted during procedure visits and/or 2) are present to conduct the ordered procedure - English speaking participants

Exclusion Criteria

  • Patients who are unable to visit BMC a minimum of 2 times per month - No history of challenging behaviors in medical appointments involving the presentation of needle(s) - Patients and caregivers who do not speak English or are unable to utilize interpreter services to complete assessments and surveys

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
N/A
Intervention Model
Single Group Assignment
Primary Purpose
Supportive Care
Masking
None (Open Label)

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Experimental
Treatment Packet 		3-5 autistic BMC patients who have a history of engaging in challenging behaviors during needle-related procedures who are able to attend simulation sessions at BMC at least 2 times per month. A caregiver and clinician will also be recruited for each child participant.
  • Behavioral: Treatment Package (for both simulation and procedure sessions
    Treatment Package for both simulation and procedure sessions will include visit priming (contingency specifying stimuli in the form of social stories and YouTube videos) and differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA).

Recruiting Locations

Boston Medical Center
Boston 4930956, Massachusetts 6254926 02118
Contact:
Jacqueline McKendry, MS BCBA LABA
617-414-3874
jacqueline.mckendry@bmc.org

More Details

Status
Recruiting
Sponsor
Boston Medical Center

Study Contact

Jacqueline McKendry, MS BCBA LABA
617 414 3874
jacqueline.mckendry@bmc.org

Notice

Study information shown on this site is derived from ClinicalTrials.gov (a public registry operated by the National Institutes of Health). The listing of studies provided is not certain to be all studies for which you might be eligible. Furthermore, study eligibility requirements can be difficult to understand and may change over time, so it is wise to speak with your medical care provider and individual research study teams when making decisions related to participation.