Comprehensive Communication Intervention for Minimally Verbal Children With Autism

NCT02291172 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 141453
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 74
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

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.

Conditions

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Spontaneous communicative utterances

  measured from a naturalistic language sample

  12 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Intervention JEP

EXPERIMENTAL

A blend of JASP-EMT using SGDs with parent training intervention with the addition of individualized DTT to teach receptive language, imitation, and joint attention when children lack these skills at entry. The comprehensive communication intervention: (a) teaches foundational social communicative behaviors, (b) related skills that predict long term language outcomes, (c) a range of communicative functions, (d) spoken language skills, (e) provides children with an immediate mode of communication, (f) incorporates instructional methods, contexts, and partners that increase both the critical skills for spoken language and social use of language. Because parents are essential partners for young children with ASD who are learning to communicate, we (g) include parents

Behavioral: Intervention JEP

Business as Usual Control Group

NO INTERVENTION

All children, regardless of group assignment will participate in all assessments. Children randomized to the control group will not receive intervention, but will complete all other research procedures. Other treatments that all children receive in the community will be recorded with bi-monthly surveys.

Interventions

Intervention JEP BEHAVIORAL

A blend of JASP-EMT using SGDs with parent training intervention with the addition of individualized DTT to teach receptive language, imitation, and joint attention when children lack these skills at entry.

Intervention JEP

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 36 Months - 54 Months
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• A diagnosis of ASD as confirmed by the ADOS
• Mental age (MA) of 18 months as measured on the Mullen Scales of Early Learning
• Expressive vocabulary of less than 10
• Age between 36 and 54 month
• English as the primary language spoken at home
• Parents who are willing to participate in parent training.

You may not qualify if:

• Sensory disabilities such as blindness or deafness
• Motor disabilities such as cerebral palsy.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Vanderbilt University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Metro Nashville Schools

Nashville, Tennessee, 37209, United States

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Hampton LH, Kaiser AP, Fuller EA. Multi-component communication intervention for children with autism: A randomized controlled trial. Autism. 2020 Nov;24(8):2104-2116. doi: 10.1177/1362361320934558. Epub 2020 Jul 6.

  PMID: 32627570 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Child Development Disorders, Pervasive; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Susan W. Gray Professor of Education and Human Development, Dept. of Special Education

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 6, 2014
• First Posted: November 14, 2014
• Study Start: September 1, 2014
• Primary Completion: December 1, 2017
• Study Completion: March 1, 2018
• Last Updated: July 12, 2018

Record last verified: 2018-07

Locations

US (1)