Relationship Training for Children With Autism and Their Peers

NCT00095420 | Completed DMC

• 2 other identifiers: U54MH068172DDTR BD-DD
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 60
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study will determine whether peer interaction training interventions are effective in enhancing the social relationships of children with autism.

Conditions

Autism; Autistic Disorder

Keywords

Interpersonal Relationships; Child

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Social network involvement of autistic children

  Measured before and after treatment and at 3-month follow-up

Study Arms (4)

1

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants with autism will receive social skills training targeting children with autism

Behavioral: Social skills training targeting children with autism

2

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants without autism will receive social skills training to increase acceptance of peers with autism

Behavioral: Social skills training of peers without autism

3

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants with and without autism will receive a combination treatment of social skills/education about autism

Behavioral: Combination treatment of social skills/education about autism

4

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants with and without autism will receive usual training provided by their school district

Behavioral: Usual training

Interventions

Social skills training targeting children with autism BEHAVIORAL

Sessions will focus on improving the social skills of autistic children. Thirty-minute sessions will be held twice a week for 6 weeks.

1

Social skills training of peers without autism BEHAVIORAL

Sessions will involve educating the peers of autistic children to increase their acceptance of their autistic peers. Thirty-minute sessions will be held twice a week for 6 weeks.

2

Combination treatment of social skills/education about autism BEHAVIORAL

The combination treatment includes children with and without autism. Sessions will involve social skills training and education about autism to increase acceptance of autistic peers. Training will be conducted twice a week for 6 weeks

3

Usual training BEHAVIORAL

Participants will receive the usual training offered in their local school districts.

4

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 6 Years - 11 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Autistic OR nonautistic peer of autistic child
• Currently in kindergarten or grades 1 through 5
• Intelligence quotient higher than 70
• Expectation to stay in the same school and classroom for the duration of the study
• Able to provide parent consent and child assent

You may not qualify if:

• Mental age-equivalent less than 4 years
• Conditions other than autism, or sensory or motor impairments

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of California, Los Angeles: lead
• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

University of California, Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California, 90095, United States

Location

Related Publications (5)

• Anderson A, Locke J, Kretzmann M, Kasari C; AIR-B Network. Social network analysis of children with autism spectrum disorder: Predictors of fragmentation and connectivity in elementary school classrooms. Autism. 2016 Aug;20(6):700-9. doi: 10.1177/1362361315603568. Epub 2015 Nov 13.

  PMID: 26567264 DERIVED

• Locke J, Shih W, Kretzmann M, Kasari C. Examining playground engagement between elementary school children with and without autism spectrum disorder. Autism. 2016 Aug;20(6):653-62. doi: 10.1177/1362361315599468. Epub 2015 Sep 4.

  PMID: 26341991 DERIVED

• Dean M, Kasari C, Shih W, Frankel F, Whitney R, Landa R, Lord C, Orlich F, King B, Harwood R. The peer relationships of girls with ASD at school: comparison to boys and girls with and without ASD. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2014 Nov;55(11):1218-25. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.12242. Epub 2014 Jul 16.

  PMID: 25039696 DERIVED

• Locke J, Rotheram-Fuller E, Kasari C. Exploring the social impact of being a typical peer model for included children with autism spectrum disorder. J Autism Dev Disord. 2012 Sep;42(9):1895-905. doi: 10.1007/s10803-011-1437-0.

  PMID: 22215436 DERIVED

• Kasari C, Rotheram-Fuller E, Locke J, Gulsrud A. Making the connection: randomized controlled trial of social skills at school for children with autism spectrum disorders. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2012 Apr;53(4):431-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2011.02493.x. Epub 2011 Nov 26.

  PMID: 22118062 DERIVED

Related Links

• Click here for more information about this study and others at the University of California, Los Angeles Center for Autism Research and Treatment Web site.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Autistic Disorder

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Autism Spectrum Disorder; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Officials

• Marian Sigman

  University of California, Los Angeles

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 4, 2004
• First Posted: November 5, 2004
• Study Start: September 1, 2003
• Primary Completion: June 1, 2008
• Study Completion: June 1, 2008
• Last Updated: October 30, 2025

Record last verified: 2022-02

Locations

US (1)