Behavioral Economics and Communication

NCT05918393 | Completed Results

• 1 other identifier: 941605-12
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 9
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This project examines mechanisms to address two significant challenges present in communication-based behavioral interventions for individuals with autism and comorbid severe destructive behavior (SDB): (a) inflexible communication responding and (b) reemergence of severe destructive behavior when challenges to treatment integrity occur. Achieving the proposed aims will advance clinical practice related to the treatment of SDB and generalization of treatment effects to mitigate against the resurgence of SDB

Conditions

Problem Behavior

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Averge of Aappropriate Communication Responses

  Appropriate communication responses for each participant will be selected based on language level as identified via the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, 4th edition (PPVT-4) and/or the Expressive Vocabulary Test-3rd edition (EVT-3)

  Participants were seen 3-5 days/week for a 60-min visit. Second-by-second data were collected over a period of successive, 5-min (300 s) sessions conducted consecutively during the visit. The unit of analysis was mean responding during the 5-min session.

• Average of Problem Behavior Responses

  Individualized operational definitions of problem behavior and communication were developed for each participant. These included aggression, disruption, self-injurious behavior. Communication included card exchanges, manual signs, card touches, and augmentative device responding. These behaviors were measured via direct observation and data were analyzed by visual inspection.

  Participants were seen 3-5 days/week for a 60-min visit. Second-by-second data were collected over a period of successive, 5-min (300 s) sessions conducted consecutively during the visit. The unit of analysis was mean responding during the 5-min session.

Study Arms (1)

Functional communication training (FCT)

OTHER

During FCT, signaled intervals of reinforcement (i.e., the functional reinforcer is available contingent on communication) and extinction (i.e., the functional reinforcer is unavailable and thus both severe destructive behavior (SDB) and communication are on extinction) will be alternated within a single session. During the treatment-challenge evaluation, SDB will remain on extinction throughout and all communication responses will be reinforced on an FR-1 schedule during the signaled reinforcement intervals.

Behavioral: functional communication training

Interventions

functional communication training BEHAVIORAL

During functional communication training, signaled intervals of reinforcement (i.e., the functional reinforcer is available contingent on communication) and extinction (i.e., the functional reinforcer is unavailable and thus both problem behavior and communication are on extinction) will be alternated within a single session. All communication responses will be reinforced every time they occur during the signaled reinforcement intervals.

Also known as: differential reinforcement

Functional communication training (FCT)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 5 Years - 13 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• between 5 and 13 years of age
• documented diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or a diagnosis confirmed based on the relevant cutoff score of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Scale (ADOS-2)
• referred for clinical assessment and treatment of severe destructive behavior (SDB; e.g., SIB, aggression) that (a) poses a serious danger to self, others, or the environment, and (b) interferes with the child receiving an appropriate education
• children whose functional analysis results indicate that SDB is maintained by social-negative or social-positive reinforcement will be admitted to this investigation.

You may not qualify if:

• severity of their SDB prohibits exposure to baseline conditions
• undergoing changes in their medication regimen
• results of the functional analyses indicate that their SDB is maintained by automatic reinforcement

Sponsors & Collaborators

• State University of New York - Upstate Medical University: lead
• Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

SUNY Upstate Medical University

Syracuse, New York, 13210, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Problem Behavior

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior; Child Behavior

Limitations and Caveats

Limitations included enrollment of less than 50% of the anticipated sample. Results should be interpreted with caution given the low sample size.

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Dr. Henry Roane
• Organization: SUNY Upstate Medical University

roaneh@upstate.edu

3154643555

Publication Agreements

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

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: Single-case research design including multielement and reversal strategies

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 2, 2023
• First Posted: June 26, 2023
• Study Start: April 22, 2019
• Primary Completion: August 20, 2021
• Study Completion: December 7, 2021
• Last Updated: March 5, 2026
• Results First Posted: March 5, 2026

Record last verified: 2023-08

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)