Hybrid Computerized EF Training Using Virtual Human Stimuli for Autism

NCT07308210 | Active Not Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 2022-2023-0504
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 15
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this pilot clinical trial is to learn the preliminary feasibility and efficacy of a home-based hybrid computerized executive function (EF) training program using social stimuli for autistic individuals. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. 1.Does hybrid EF training using virtual human stimuli improve the EF and symptoms of autistic individuals?
2. 2.What are the parents' attitudes toward the training program?
3. 3.Undergo computerized training at home five 30-minute sessions a week, for two weeks
4. 4.Visit the university campus before and after the training program to undertake an assessment

Conditions

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (6)

• The Go/No-Go Task - The false alarm rate

  The percentage of false alarms made on no-go trials

  Within one week before the first training session and within one week after the last training session

• The Sternberg Working Memory Task - Accuracy at set size 6

  The percentage of probes recognized when arrays of 6 letters are to be remembered

  Within one week before the first training session and within one week after the last training session

• The Digit Task-Switching Task - Reaction time (RT) switch cost

  Difference in mean RT between repeat and switch trials

  Within one week before the first training session and within one week after the last training session

• The Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS-2) - Social Communication and Interaction (SCI) raw score

  A parent-reported measure of social functioning deficits associated with autism

  Within one week before the first training session and within one week after the last training session

• The Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS-2) - Restricted Interests and Repetitive Behavior (RRB) raw score

  A parent-reported measure of behavioral inflexibility associated with autism

  Within one week before the first training session and within one week after the last training session

• Parents' Feedback Questionnaire - Score

  Parents' attitudes toward various statements regarding the training program, rated on a 7-point Likert scale (from -3 to +3)

  Within one week after the last training session

Study Arms (1)

Hybrid computerized executive function training

EXPERIMENTAL

Hybrid computerized executive function training five 30-minute sessions a week, for two weeks.

Behavioral: Hybrid computerized executive function training

Interventions

Hybrid computerized executive function training BEHAVIORAL

The Face-Judgment game trains shifting through 33 trials where players judge a face's sex or emotion based on cues. Trials include repeat or switch judgments, with cue durations decrease from 1,000 ms to 200 ms to increase difficulty. Performance metrics include mean switch RT and switch cost RT for adjusting difficulty. The Gaze-Arrow game enhances inhibition by requiring players to process gaze direction amidst distractors. Each round has 32 trials with faces and arrows pointing left or right. Arrow pairs increase from 1 to 5 across levels, increasing interference in incongruent trials, where gaze and arrow directions mismatch. Players judge gaze direction; performance is measured by mean incongruent RT and interference score. The Running Memory game trains working memory by having players recall face identities from n trials earlier, with n increasing from 1 to 5. Afterward, players select the face matching the cue from five options, with accuracy guiding level adjustments.

Hybrid computerized executive function training

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 8 Years - 17 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Having met the DSM-V-TR criteria for autism spectrum disorder
• Age between 8 and 17 years
• Normal or corrected-to-normal vision

You may not qualify if:

• Any neurological conditions
• Head injuries requiring hospitalization

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Education University of Hong Kong: lead

Study Sites (1)

The Education University of Hong Kong

Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Location

Related Publications (9)

• Chanceaux M, Mathot S, Grainger J. Effects of number, complexity, and familiarity of flankers on crowded letter identification. J Vis. 2014 Nov 10;14(6):7. doi: 10.1167/14.6.7.

  PMID: 25384390 BACKGROUND

• de Vries M, Geurts HM. Cognitive flexibility in ASD; task switching with emotional faces. J Autism Dev Disord. 2012 Dec;42(12):2558-68. doi: 10.1007/s10803-012-1512-1.

  PMID: 22456815 BACKGROUND

• Eriksen, B. A., & Eriksen, C. W. (1974). Effects of noise letters upon the identification of a target letter in a nonsearch task. Perception & psychophysics, 16(1), 143-149. https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03203267

  BACKGROUND

• Miyake A, Friedman NP, Emerson MJ, Witzki AH, Howerter A, Wager TD. The unity and diversity of executive functions and their contributions to complex "Frontal Lobe" tasks: a latent variable analysis. Cogn Psychol. 2000 Aug;41(1):49-100. doi: 10.1006/cogp.1999.0734.

  PMID: 10945922 BACKGROUND

• Morris, N., & Jones, D. M. (1990). Memory updating in working memory: The role of the central executive. British journal of psychology, 81(2), 111-121. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8295.1990.tb02349.x

  BACKGROUND

• Constantino, J. N., & Gruber, C. P. (2012). Social responsiveness scale, Second Edition (SRS-2). Torrance, CA: Western Psychological Services.

  BACKGROUND

• Monsell S. Task switching. Trends Cogn Sci. 2003 Mar;7(3):134-140. doi: 10.1016/s1364-6613(03)00028-7.

  PMID: 12639695 BACKGROUND

• Picton TW, Stuss DT, Alexander MP, Shallice T, Binns MA, Gillingham S. Effects of focal frontal lesions on response inhibition. Cereb Cortex. 2007 Apr;17(4):826-38. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhk031. Epub 2006 May 12.

  PMID: 16699079 BACKGROUND

• Sternberg S. High-speed scanning in human memory. Science. 1966 Aug 5;153(3736):652-4. doi: 10.1126/science.153.3736.652.

  PMID: 5939936 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Child Development Disorders, Pervasive; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Officials

• Michael Yeung, PhD

  The Education University of Hong Kong

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 15, 2025
• First Posted: December 29, 2025
• Study Start: May 2, 2024
• Primary Completion: August 27, 2024
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2027
• Last Updated: December 29, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-12

Locations

HK (1)