APP-based Emotion Recognition Training Improve ASD Social Function

University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

Status and phase: Enrolling; Phase 1

Conditions: Autism Spectrum Disorder High-Functioning

Treatments: Behavioral: APP-based emotion recognition intervention; Behavioral: APP-based memory intervention

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06421272

UESTC-neuSCAN-94

Details and patient eligibility

About

The main aim of the study is to investigate whether APP-based emotional recognition training improve social function in autistic children.

Full description

50 ASD children age ranged from 4-10 years old will be randomly allocated to either app-based emotional recognition training or memory training groups for 2 months. Before and after training, some assessements were measured including Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2, Childhood Autism Rating Scale, Wechsler Intelligence Scale and Psychoeducational Profile-3. Some other questionnaires are also collected including Social Responsibility Scale-2,Repetitive behavior scale-Revised,Caregiver Strains Questionnaire，Social Communication Questionnaire，Social Anxiety Scale for Children，Adaptive behavior assessment Schedule. Four eye-tracking tasks as follows: (1) Dynamic geometrical paired with dynamic child dancing; (2) Static neutral and emotional faces; (3) A dynamic gaze-following task; (4) social interaction behaviors paired with the toys alone; (5) spinning actions conducted via children paired with objects.

Enrollment: 50 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 4 to 10 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: Clinical diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder and follow these criteria: (1) Age range: 4-10 years old, gender not limited;(2) Ethnicity: Han nationality;(3) Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Second Edition (ADOS-2) Comparison Score greater than or equal to 5 points (Le et al., 2022);(4) Considering that only high-functioning autism individuals can successfully complete the eye-tracking tasks, children with a Wechsler score greater than or equal to 60 points are selected; Exclusion criteria: (1) No neurological complications, such as epilepsy, cerebral palsy, fragile X syndrome, etc.;(2) No prior medical interventions, such as taking antipsychotic drugs, receiving transcranial magnetic stimulation, acupuncture, etc.;(3) No abnormal imaging diagnosis or any brain injury.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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50 participants in 2 patient groups

APP-based emotion recognition trainning

Experimental group

Description:

Experimental group: ASD children were asked to do emotion recognition for eight weeks using iPAD. Two 15-minsute sessions each day was required.

Treatment:

Behavioral: APP-based emotion recognition intervention

APP-based memory training

Active Comparator group

Description:

Control group: ASD children were asked to do memory training (i.e. 1 back) for eight weeks using iPAD. Two 15-minsute sessions each day was required.

Treatment:

Behavioral: APP-based memory intervention