Autism Intervention Research Network for Behavioral Health (AIR-B II): Deployment Into Elementary Schools

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)

Status

Completed

Conditions

Autism

Treatments

Behavioral: STAT Intervention

Behavioral: Playground Intervention

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Other U.S. Federal agency

Identifiers

NCT01724047

12-001120

Details and patient eligibility

About

The primary goal of this study is to identify efficacious and cost effective intervention strategies that can improve academic and psychological outcomes for children with ASD, and can be feasibly be implemented at fidelity by school personnel in under served elementary schools. Two simultaneous interventions will occur.

In intervention 1, students with ASD in inclusion classrooms will be randomized to the Playground Intervention or a waitlist control group. In the Playground Intervention, UCLA/ROC/UPENN staff will work with school personals (teachers, paraprofessionals) to increase peer engagement on the yard.

In intervention 2, students in special day classes will be randomized to the 'Schedule Tools Activities Transitions' Intervention (STAT) or wait-list control. In the STAT Intervention, UCLA/ROC/UPENN staff will work with teachers to implement behavioral strategies in the classrooms.

In both interventions, the conditions are: 1) Immediate treatment, where the training will begin immediately after baseline measures are completed. 2) Wait-list treatment, where the training will begin the follow school year.

Enrollment

250 patients

Sex

All

Ages

4+ years old

Volunteers

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Child: Child has to meet the following criteria: 1) Child's primary classroom teacher has consented to participate, 2) Child meets ADOS research criteria for autism spectrum disorder, 3) Child is between 5-11 years old, 4) Child's parents consented to have child participate, and 5) Child is placed in inclusion classroom or self-contained special education classroom for a minimum of 50% of the school day.
Adult: School teachers and paraprofessionals working with children with ASD.

Exclusion criteria

Child: Participants will be excluded from the study if child has co-morbid disorders such as cerebral palsy, Fragile X, Down syndrome. Child has profound vision or hearing lose.
Adult: Participants will be excluded from the study if the adult is not a teacher, administrator, teaching assistant, yard attendant, related services provider, or a paraprofessional.

Trial design

Primary purpose

Treatment

Allocation

Randomized

Interventional model

Factorial Assignment

Masking

Double Blind

250 participants in 4 patient groups

Playground Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

Schools will be randomized to one of two conditions. The conditions are: 1) Immediate treatment, where the training will begin immediately after baseline measures are completed 2) Waitlist treatment, where the training will begin the following school year. The initial delivery will occur for 30 minutes three times for a period of two to three weeks, then 30 minutes two times for a period of two weeks, then 30 minutes once a week for up to 16 sessions, within a period of 3 months, then a 30 minute follow up will occur 3 months later. A systematic fading of intervention using performance feedback, coaching, and consultation. Outcome measures will be administered at entry, end of treatment, and 3-month follow-up. Entry diagnostic, exit and follow up assessments will last 1.5- 2 hours and participants will be assessed after school or in their homes.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Playground Intervention

STAT Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

Classrooms will be randomized to one of two conditions. The conditions are: 1) Immediate treatment, where the training will begin immediately after baseline measures are completed. 2) Waitlist treatment, where the training will begin the following school year. The intervention will be over a period of 6 weeks, with baseline, treatment, and a follow up visit totaling 18 weeks at the school site. Each visit is approximately 30 minutes. A systematic fading of intervention using performance feedback, coaching, and consultation. Outcome measures will be administered at entry, end of treatment. Entry diagnostic, exit and follow up assessments will last 1.5- 2 hours and participants will be assessed after school or in their homes.

Treatment:

Behavioral: STAT Intervention

Playground Waitlist Control

No Intervention group

Description:

Waitlist Control

STAT Waitlist Control

No Intervention group

Description:

Waitlist Control