Enhancing Social Competence in Adults With Autism

NCT04349644 | Completed Results DMC

• 2 other identifiers: 1922711R33MH120149-01A1
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 72
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

SENSE Theatre®, combines several well-documented, effective behavioral strategies, such as the inclusion of trained peer models, theatre play techniques involving predictable (i.e., scripted) and flexible (improvised) role-play, and repeated performance of newly learned skills resulting in greater automaticity of behavior. The intervention has the potential to enhance social cognition and behavior in adults with autism spectrum disorder.

Conditions

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Keywords

autism; social competence; theatre

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Change in Incidental Face Memory

  An event-related Potential Task that presents 51 novel faces and 51 novel houses one of each is randomly selected and presented 50 times (repeated). We are examining an increase in amplitude of 250-500 ms time window between the repeated and single face presentation. Positive values indicate better face memory.

  Change from baseline to end of treatment (Week 11) and at Follow-up (Week 21)

• Change in Contextual Assessment of Social Skills

  An observational assessment measure of social cognition and communication which includes two 3-minutes conversations with typically developing peers showing interested or bored demeanor. The behaviors are rated based on raw scores on a likert scale from 1 to 7 with 7 reflecting better ability. Only the Interested Condiiton was analyzed.

  Change from baseline to end of treatment (Week 11) and at Follow-up (Week 21)

• Change in Social Responsiveness Scale - Self (SRS)

  The SRS is a standardized measure of social competence self-administered by participants pertaining to behaviors characteristic of adults with ASD. T-scores range from scores of 38 to 90 with a mean of 50 and a standard deviation of 10. Higher scores reflect greater impairment. T-scores were used in the analyses. A decrease in scores from pretest to posttest or follow-up suggests a better outcome.

  Change from baseline to end of treatment (Week 11) and at Follow-up (Week 21)

• Change in Social Responsiveness Scale - Other (SRS)

  The SRS is a standardized measure of social competence administered by care-givers pertaining to behaviors characteristic of adults with ASD. T-scores range from scores of 38 to 90 with a mean of 50 and standard deviation of 10. Higher scores reflect greater impairment. T-scores were used in analyses. Decrease in scores from Pretest to Posttest or follow-up suggest better outcome.

  Change from baseline to end of treatment (Week 11) and at Follow-up (Week 21)

Secondary Outcomes (8)

• Cambridge Face Memory Test

  Change from baseline to end of treatment (Week 11) and at Follow-up (Week 21)

• Wechsler Memory Scale Face Memory Delay Test

  Change from baseline to end of treatment (Week 11) and at Follow-up (Week 21)

• Wechsler Memory Scale Face Memory Test

  Change from baseline to end of treatment (Week 11) and at Follow-up (Week 21)

• Adaptive Behavior Assessment System (ABAS) - Self-Report Global Adaptive Composite

  Change from baseline to end of treatment (Week 11) and at Follow-up (Week 21)

• Adaptive Behavior Assessment System (ABAS) - Other-Report Global Adaptive Composite

  Change from baseline to end of treatment (Week 11) and at Follow-up (Week 21)

Study Arms (2)

SENSE Theatre

EXPERIMENTAL

A peer-mediated, theatre-based intervention designed to improve social cognition and behavior.

Behavioral: SENSE Theatre

Waitlist Control Group

NO INTERVENTION

This group will not receive the intervention during the testing phase of the intervention but will eventually receive the theatre intervention.

Interventions

SENSE Theatre BEHAVIORAL

A peer-mediated, theatre-based intervention that involves 10 sessions of approximately 3 hours each that culminates in a public performance.

SENSE Theatre

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 35 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• diagnosed with ASD based on DSM-V criteria (APA, 2013), by a psychologist, pediatrician or psychiatrist with expertise in ASD will be enrolled. ASD diagnosis will be corroborated by the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2) (Lord, 2012).
• Only adults not currently supported by educational opportunities will be enrolled.
• Participants must have a full-scale IQ \> or = 70 (WASI; (Wechsler, 2011))

You may not qualify if:

• Adults with intellectual impairment (WASI; (Wechsler, 2011) score \< 70.
• Participants with current, frequent and uncontrolled aggression toward other persons or property in the past 6 months will be excluded based on phone screening and questions from the Adult Behavior Checklist (Achenbach, 2001) (e.g., "Physically attacks people").
• Participants with evidence of suicidality based on care-provider report, self-report, or clinical interview (i.e., endorsement of suicidal ideation in the past month and/or suicidal behavior in the past three months on the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (Posner, 2011),
• Previous SENSE Theatre® participants will be excluded.
• must be at least 18 years of age
• must be a parent, close relative, or spouse of the adult participant with ASD.
• must be able to provide current and historical observations of the functioning of the participant with ASD.
• must live in close proximity to and have frequent contact with the participant with ASD.
• must be at least 18 years of age
• typically developing individual with no neurodevelopmental disorder.
• must successfully complete training and demonstrate consistent administration of research protocols.
• must be at least 18 years of age
• typically developing individual with no neurodevelopmental disorder.
• must have an expressed interest in supporting young adults and adults with developmental disabilities or ASD
• must successfully complete SENSE Theatre® training.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Vanderbilt University Medical Center: lead
• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Nashville, Tennessee, 37212, United States

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Corbett BA, Key AP, Klemencic ME, Muscatello RA, Jones D, Pilkington J, Burroughs C, Vandekar S. Investigating Social Competence in a Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial of a Theatre-Based Intervention Enhanced for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord. 2025 Jan;55(1):130-146. doi: 10.1007/s10803-023-06214-0. Epub 2023 Dec 18.

  PMID: 38109034 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Autism Spectrum Disorder; Autistic Disorder; Social Skills

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Child Development Disorders, Pervasive; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Mental Disorders; Social Behavior; Behavior

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Blythe Corbett, Ph.D.
• Organization: Vanderbilt University Medical Center

blythe.corbett@vumc.org

(615) 936-0280

Study Officials

• Blythe A Corbett, Ph.D.

  Vanderbilt University Medical Center

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: No
• Restrictive Agreement: No

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 14, 2020
• First Posted: April 16, 2020
• Study Start: October 21, 2020
• Primary Completion: March 15, 2024
• Study Completion: March 30, 2025
• Last Updated: January 29, 2026
• Results First Posted: March 7, 2025

Record last verified: 2026-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)