Improving Access to Community-Based Occupations Via a Rideshare Training Program

NCT06323850 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: HM20028878
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 13
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Community mobility is critical for living independently and engaging in one's community. It is especially important for people in their early adult years, as this is often a time of transition to employment and living independently. Community mobility can be particularly challenging for adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) (henceforth referred to as autistic adults based on the preferred identity-first language of our autistic partners). Some autistic adults are unable to meet the demands of driving. Public transportation is an option for autistic adults; and autistic adults are more likely to use public transportation than their non-autistic counterparts. However, using public transportation may be just as challenging as driving for the autistic population. Rideshare (also called ride-hailing) is a relatively new form of transportation in which passengers get from point A to point B in private vehicles driven by their owners. A digital app, usually accessed on a smartphone, matches passengers and drivers, coordinates routes using a GPS system, and facilitates payment through a linked financial account. Rideshare has the potential to address many of the issues autistic adults have accessing the community. It is faster and more direct than the public train or bus, there is limited social interaction required, and rides can be scheduled at any time. Despite it's potential to increase transportation in autistic adults, there are no evidence-based training programs to support Rideshare use in this population.

Conditions

Autism

Keywords

Community Mobility; Rideshare

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Evaluate autistic adults participating in the SRP intervention find the intervention acceptable?

  Autistic adults participating in the SRP will rate 75% of the items on the Acceptability Intervention Measure (AIM) as Agree or Completely Agree. The AIM is a 5-item scale that measures the perception among implementation stakeholders that a given treatment, service, practice, or innovation is agreeable, palatable, or satisfactory. Acceptability refers to determining how well an intervention will be received by the target population and the extent to which the new intervention or its components might meet the needs of the target population and organizational setting.

  Baseline and after phase 1 (5 weeks)

• Evaluate if the trainers conducting the SRP intervention find the intervention to be appropriate

  Trainers conducting the SRP intervention will rate 75% of the items on the Intervention Appropriateness Measure (IAM) as Agree or Completely Agree. The AIM is a 5-item scale that measures the perception among implementation stakeholders that a given treatment, service, practice, or innovation is agreeable, palatable, or satisfactory. Acceptability refers to determining how well an intervention will be received by the target population and the extent to which the new intervention or its components might meet the needs of the target population and organizational setting.

  Baseline and after phase 1 (5 weeks)

• Autistic adults who have participated in the SRP program display greater independence in using Rideshare

  Autistic adult who have participated in the SRP program will display greater independence in using Rideshare

  Baseline and after phase 1 (5 weeks)

• Autistic adults who have participated in the SRP program display greater safety in using Rideshare

  Autistic adult who have participated in the SRP program will display greater safety when using Rideshare

  Baseline and after phase 1 (5 weeks)

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• How do SRP participants use of Rideshare for community, social, and/or employment activities after the intervention

  Baseline and after phase 1 (5 weeks) and 3 months post intervention

Study Arms (1)

Experimental Group

EXPERIMENTAL

The experimental group will receive the intervention then a 2-month follow-up

Behavioral: Intervention Phase; Behavioral: Virtual Training Sessions; Behavioral: Ride-Along Training Sessions

Interventions

Intervention Phase BEHAVIORAL

After participants have been enrolled, they will be assigned to one of the trainer-pairs and will work with them to schedule the first two sessions. Most clients will be able to schedule one virtual session per week and one ride along session per week for the first five weeks, with the remaining three weeks allotted to practice ride-along sessions and module repetition (as needed). The additional time also provides a buffer if subjects are unavailable for a week during the intervention phase.

Experimental Group

Virtual Training Sessions BEHAVIORAL

Virtual sessions will take place over Zoom each session lasting 20-30 minutes. Each of the five virtual sessions will be aligned with the five online modules. For each module, exercises are built in to test comprehension. If the participant does not complete an exercise accurately, the lead trainer will explain why the response was incorrect and prompt them to repeat the video modeling exercise. The support training partner will take notes to support the formative assessment process and complete fidelity checks.

Experimental Group

Ride-Along Training Sessions BEHAVIORAL

The first ride-along session will be the baseline session for assessing level of independence (number of cues needed) and safety. The participant will have up to 8 ride-along sessions to reach full independence (no cues needed) and full marks on the safety assessment. The lead trainer will provide the cues as needed to complete each step of the Rideshare process.

Experimental Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• study participants have to be 18+ years of age
• living within 100 miles of Richmond, Virginia
• Participants have to have diagnosis of ASD given by a licensed medical professional.
• Participants need to have a stable internet connection
• ability to communicate independently (verbally or via alternative communication device) in English
• have the motoric skills needed to independently use a smartphone (fine motor) and get in and out of a car (gross motor).
• Participants must own a smartphone and be familiar with texting and/or email.

You may not qualify if:

• participants who have a severe or profound intellectual disability (IQ below 35) given that the training was designed for those with moderate IQ and above with the potential to travel alone to familiar places
• exclude any individual who already uses Rideshare independently.
• exclude pregnant women.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Virginia Commonwealth University: lead
• Organization for Autism Research: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond, Virginia, 23298, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Autistic Disorder

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

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

Study Officials

• Stacey Reynolds

  Virginia Commonwealth University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

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

Model Details: Single group, pre- and post-test. Subjects were measured 8 times during intervention stage and 8 times during the follow-up stage.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 6, 2024
• First Posted: March 21, 2024
• Study Start: May 6, 2024
• Primary Completion: November 11, 2024
• Study Completion: November 11, 2024
• Last Updated: November 21, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-11

Locations

US (1)