Joint Attention Processing in Social Threat Scenarios

NCT07582757 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: UESTC-GazeLab-03
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 56
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study set up two experiments using the free viewing video paradigm. By setting up social threat scenarios induced by humans (Experiment 1) and non social threat scenarios induced by objects (Experiment 2), combined with eye tracking and fNIRS technology, we explored the eye movement patterns and related brain activation characteristics of IJA in children with ASD.

Conditions

Joint Attention; Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Keywords

joint attention; ASD; eye tracking; fNIRS

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Gaze transitions

  the number of transitions between face stimuli and unexpected stimuli

  The two time windows of 48-56 seconds and 70-80 seconds.

• The proportion of fixation time

  The proportion of fixation time on AOI is calculated as the fixation time on AOI divided by the total valid fixation time on the screen within each phase

  The two time windows of 48-56 seconds and 70-80 seconds.

• Activation concentration

  the concentration of cortical activation during video viewing

  The two time windows of 48-56 seconds and 70-80 seconds.

Study Arms (2)

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Group

Typically Developing Children (TD) Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 3 Years - 10 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Population composition: TD and ASD. TD: 3-10 years old, with normal vision and corrected vision, hearing, and no social or behavioral problems. ASD: 3-10 years old, diagnosed by a doctor with ASD, normal vision and corrected vision, hearing, etc., but with social and behavioral problems. Key demographic information: 3-10 years old. TD: 22 males and 6 females. ASD: 24 males and 4 females. Source and final scale: TD recruited 36 children from Jinhua Primary School and First Kindergarten in Shehong City, Sichuan Province, and ultimately used 28 children. ASD: 52 children from special schools and rehabilitation institutions in some districts and counties of Chengdu were recruited, and 28 were ultimately used.

You may qualify if:

• For ASD group:
• years ≤ age ≤ 10 years;
• a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder based on clinical symptoms, confirmed using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) and other auxiliary diagnostic scales, including the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS);
• further confirmation of ASD symptoms by experimenters with established research reliability using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2), with severity scores reported;
• absence of comorbid physical diseases or other psychiatric disorders, including normal vision (or corrected-to-normal vision) and normal hearing;
• no receipt of medication, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), or transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) within the past three months.

You may not qualify if:

• For ASD group:
• age \< 3 years or \> 10 years;
• absence of a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) and other auxiliary diagnostic scales, including the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS);
• failure to meet diagnostic criteria after confirmation of ASD symptoms by experimenters with established research reliability using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2);
• presence of comorbid physical diseases or other psychiatric disorders, or problems with vision (or corrected-to-normal vision) and hearing;
• receipt of medication, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), or transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) within the past three months.
• For TD group:
• children were excluded if their scores on the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) exceeded the cutoff.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Electronic Science and Technology of China: lead

Study Sites (1)

School of Foreign Languages, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

Chengdu, Sichuan, 611731, China

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Child Development Disorders, Pervasive; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: CROSS SECTIONAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 6, 2026
• First Posted: May 13, 2026
• Study Start: December 29, 2024
• Primary Completion: June 4, 2025
• Study Completion: July 1, 2025
• Last Updated: May 13, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-05

Locations

CN (1)