The Effectiveness of Group Interpersonal Synchrony in Young Autistic Adults' Work Environment

NCT05846308 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 2595
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 57
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Background: Few autistic adults are able to integrate successfully into the world of work given their difficulties adapting to the social and stressful aspects of work environments. Interpersonal synchrony, when two or more individuals share body movements or sensations, is a powerful force that consolidates human groups while promoting the ability to self-regulate and cooperate with others. The abilities to self-regulate and cooperate are crucial for maintaining a calm and productive work environment. Objectives: This randomized controlled trial (RCT) aims to assess the effects of group interpersonal synchrony on prosociality and work-related stress of young autistic adults in their work environment. Methods: This mixed-methods RCT will investigate two movement-based group synchronous and non-synchronous intervention conditions. The sample will be composed of young adults enrolled in an innovative Israeli program designed to integrate cognitively-abled 18- to 25-year-old autistic adults into the Israeli army work force. The movement-based intervention sessions will take place in groups of 10-14 participants, once a week for 10 weeks. Questionnaires, behavioral collaborative tasks and semi-structured interviews will be conducted. Quantitative data will be collected for each participant at three points of time: before and after the intervention period, and four months after the end of the intervention. Qualitative data will be collected after the intervention period in interviews with 15% of the participants.

Conditions

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Keywords

Interpersonal Synchrony; Prosociality; work-related stress; Social closeness; Sense of belonging; Need to belong

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (9)

• Work-related stress during baseline

  Work-related stress will be measured using the Hebrew adaptation of the Irritation Scale. This scale comprises eight items, three of which assess cognitive irritation and five of which assess emotional irritation. Items are rated on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from "Strongly Disagree" (1) to "Strongly Agree" (7).

  Up to 1 month before start of intervention

• Work-related stress during post-intervention

  Work-related stress will be measured using the Hebrew adaptation of the Irritation Scale. This scale comprises eight items, three of which assess cognitive irritation and five of which assess emotional irritation. Items are rated on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from "Strongly Disagree" (1) to "Strongly Agree" (7).

  Up to 1 month after end of intervention

• Work-related stress during follow-up

  Work-related stress will be measured using the Hebrew adaptation of the Irritation Scale. This scale comprises eight items, three of which assess cognitive irritation and five of which assess emotional irritation. Items are rated on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from "Strongly Disagree" (1) to "Strongly Agree" (7).

  Between 3-4 month after end of intervention

• Cognitive cooperation during baseline

  Cognitive cooperation will be measured using the Public Good Game task: Participants will be told they will be given 30 NIS and that they can donate some or all of it to a group investment. The money in the group investment will then be doubled and divided equally among all members of the group. Cooperation on this task will be operationalized by the amount of money each participant decides to donate to the group investment.

  Up to 1 month before start of intervention

• Cognitive cooperation during post-intervention

  Cognitive cooperation will be measured using the Public Good Game task: Participants will be told they will be given 30 NIS and that they can donate some or all of it to a group investment. The money in the group investment will then be doubled and divided equally among all members of the group. Cooperation on this task will be operationalized by the amount of money each participant decides to donate to the group investment.

  Up to 1 month after end of intervention

• Cognitive cooperation during follow-up

  Cognitive cooperation will be measured using the Public Good Game task: Participants will be told they will be given 30 NIS and that they can donate some or all of it to a group investment. The money in the group investment will then be doubled and divided equally among all members of the group. Cooperation on this task will be operationalized by the amount of money each participant decides to donate to the group investment.

  Between 3-4 month after end of intervention

• Behavioral cooperation during baseline

  Behavioral cooperation will be measured using the Collection task: Participants will have to work together to pick up 100 small washers (a flat plastic coin with a diameter of 4 cm). Cooperation on this task will be operationalized by participants' effort represented by their step rate (SR). SR will be measured using a wearable fitness tracker (Fitbit Inspire 2) that will be attached to the participants' wrists using a special band.

  Up to 1 month before start of intervention

• Behavioral cooperation during post-intervention

  Behavioral cooperation will be measured using the Collection task: Participants will have to work together to pick up 100 small washers (a flat plastic coin with a diameter of 4 cm). Cooperation on this task will be operationalized by participants' effort represented by their step rate (SR). SR will be measured using a wearable fitness tracker (Fitbit Inspire 2) that will be attached to the participants' wrists using a special band.

  Up to 1 month after end of intervention

• Behavioral cooperation during follow-up

  Behavioral cooperation will be measured using the Collection task: Participants will have to work together to pick up 100 small washers (a flat plastic coin with a diameter of 4 cm). Cooperation on this task will be operationalized by participants' effort represented by their step rate (SR). SR will be measured using a wearable fitness tracker (Fitbit Inspire 2) that will be attached to the participants' wrists using a special band.

  Between 3-4 month after end of intervention

Secondary Outcomes (12)

• Social Closeness during baseline

  Up to 1 month before start of intervention

• Social Closeness during post-intervention

  Up to 1 month after end of intervention

• Social Closeness during follow-up

  Between 3-4 month after end of intervention

• Friendship Closeness during baseline

  Up to 1 month before start of intervention

• Friendship Closeness during post-intervention

  Up to 1 month after end of intervention

Study Arms (2)

Synchronous condition

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

This arm (n=30) will include a synchronous intervention only.

Behavioral: Structured synchronous physical training

Non-synchronous condition

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

This arm (n=30) will include a non-synchronous intervention only.

Behavioral: Structured non-synchronous physical training

Interventions

Structured synchronous physical training BEHAVIORAL

The instructors and the participants will form a circle facing each other while doing the physical exercises. To facilitate interpersonal synchrony, the participants will be instructed to do the same physical exercises (spatial synchrony) together at the same pace (rhythmic synchrony). Each session will consist of four parts: 1. Warm-up (10 minutes) 2. Social Game (10 minutes) 3. Main training (30 minutes): Each session will contain two sets, each consisting of seven fixed exercises with a resting period of 10-15 seconds between each. Each exercise will be performed at one of three different paces: Slow - one movement cycle per 2 seconds, Medium - one movement cycle per 1 second and Fast - two movement cycles per 1 second. 4. Cool-down (10 minutes)

Synchronous condition

Structured non-synchronous physical training BEHAVIORAL

The participants will do the same physical exercises as the participants in the synchronous group but in the form of circuit training with seven stations. The circuit training will require the participants to do a different physical exercise at a different pace at each station. A detailed description of the exercises will be provided for each station. The instructors will demonstrate all the exercises before the beginning of training. The participants will be instructed to do the exercise for a set period of time, the same duration used in the synchronous group. The circuit training stations will be in the form of a circle but will be set up so that the participants do not to face each other when doing the exercises to prevent spontaneous synchronization. Each session will consist of four parts, the same as in the synchronous intervention.

Non-synchronous condition

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 25 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Trainees must have an official diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder as assessed by a child psychiatrist or clinical psychologist according to the DSM-V.

You may not qualify if:

• Trainees with severe sensory impairments such as blindness or deafness and/or severe physical disability.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Haifa: lead

Study Sites (1)

Roim Rachok Program

Or Yehuda, Israel

Location

Related Publications (2)

• Dvir T, Elefant C, Rabinowitch TC. Group Interpersonal Synchrony Increases Prosocial Behavior in Young Autistic Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Autism Dev Disord. 2025 Jul 5. doi: 10.1007/s10803-025-06949-y. Online ahead of print.

  PMID: 40615734 DERIVED

• Dvir T, Rabinowitch TC, Elefant C. The effectiveness of group interpersonal synchrony in young autistic adults' work environment: A mixed methods RCT study protocol. PLoS One. 2024 Jul 31;19(7):e0307956. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0307956. eCollection 2024.

  PMID: 39083478 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Autism Spectrum Disorder; Occupational Stress

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Child Development Disorders, Pervasive; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Mental Disorders; Occupational Diseases; Stress, Psychological; Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior

Study Officials

• Tal-Chen Rabinowitch, PhD

  University of Haifa, Israel

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

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: Principal Investigator

Model Details: Each participant will be randomized into one of two groups.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 14, 2023
• First Posted: May 6, 2023
• Study Start: August 1, 2021
• Primary Completion: June 1, 2023
• Study Completion: June 1, 2023
• Last Updated: March 27, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

IL (1)