OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY INTERVENTIONS ON COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

NCT07818538 | Active Not Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: EFSA tez
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 32
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication and interaction, as well as restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior. Children with ASD may experience difficulties in attention, working memory, planning, cognitive flexibility, problem-solving, and executive functions. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of virtual reality-supported cognitive-focused occupational therapy on cognitive performance, occupational performance, and motivation in children with ASD. A total of 32 children with ASD aged 6-12 years will be assigned to either the intervention group (n=16) or the control group (n=16). The intervention group will receive virtual reality-supported cognitive-focused occupational therapy for 40 minutes once a week for 8 weeks, while the control group will receive structured occupational therapy sessions with the same frequency and duration. Cognitive performance, occupational performance, and motivation will be assessed using the Dynamic Loewenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment (DLOTCA), the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), and the Pediatric Motivation Scale (PMS), respectively.

Conditions

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Keywords

Virtual Reality; Occupational Therapy; Cognitive Performance; Occupational Performance; Motivation

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Cognition Assessment Test

  The DLOTCA (Dynamic Loewenstein Cognition Assessment test) will be used.

  8 week

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM)

  Baseline and at the end of 8 weeks

• Pediatric Motivation Scale (PMS)

  Baseline and at the end of 8 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Virtual Reality-Supported Cognitive-Focused Occupational Therapy

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this group will receive structured occupational therapy sessions incorporating virtual reality-supported cognitive-focused activities, once a week for 8 weeks.

Other: Virtual Reality-Supported Cognitive-Focused Occupational Therapy

Structured Occupational Therapy

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants in this group will receive structured occupational therapy sessions for 40 minutes once a week for 8 weeks.

Other: Structured Occupational Therapy

Interventions

Virtual Reality-Supported Cognitive-Focused Occupational Therapy OTHER

Structured occupational therapy sessions incorporating virtual reality-supported cognitive-focused activities will be administered once a week for 8 weeks. The intervention will target cognitive skills, occupational performance, and motivation in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Virtual Reality-Supported Cognitive-Focused Occupational Therapy

Structured Occupational Therapy OTHER

Participants will receive structured occupational therapy sessions for 40 minutes once a week for 8 weeks.

Structured Occupational Therapy

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 6 Years - 12 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Aged between 6 and 12 years. Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Level 1 according to DSM-5 diagnostic criteria.
• Able to stand and ambulate independently. Able to follow basic instructions and interact within a virtual environment. Voluntary participation of the child and/or legal guardian in the study and provision of written informed consent.

You may not qualify if:

• History of epilepsy. Presence of vestibular system disorders or complaints of vertigo. Presence of severe cardiovascular disorders. Inability to use the virtual reality application due to severe visual impairment.
• Diagnosis of a severe neurological or psychiatric disorder other than Autism Spectrum Disorder.
• Having a condition that may require medical treatment or a different intervention during the study period.
• Inability to understand the virtual reality experience or appropriately follow instructions.
• Demonstrating difficulties in cooperation at a level that prevents the implementation of the SmartPose system.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Biruni University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Istanbul Medipol University

Kadıköy, Istanbul, 34720, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Child Development Disorders, Pervasive; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Design

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

Model Details: Randomized controlled study

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 8, 2026
• First Posted: September 14, 2026
• Study Start: August 27, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 26, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 30, 2026
• Last Updated: September 14, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-08

Locations

TU (1)