Training Early Social Language in Autism (TESLA)

Boston University Charles River Campus

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Autism Spectrum Disorder

Treatments: Behavioral: Parent Education; Behavioral: Jasper

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03427138

4190E

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of the study is to determine whether a targeted behavioral intervention can lead to both changes in early communication skills and in neural responses in toddlers and preschoolers with autism.

Full description

The mirror neuron system (MNS) broadly refers to a network of brain regions that responds both when a person performs an action and when that person observes someone else performing the same action. This system emerges in infancy and develops over time to support more complex social abilities. It has been hypothesized that autism involves fundamental impairments to the MNS, which can explain the deficits in joint attention, imitation, communication and social cognition.

This study investigates the MNS in 100 toddlers and preschoolers recently diagnosed with autism or with a suspected diagnosis of autism. First, children with (suspected) autism complete a battery of behavioral measures and MNS activity will be assessed using electrophysiology (EEG; event-related potentials) while the child participates in specific tasks. Then, the children with (suspected) autism will be randomly assigned to one of two behavioral intervention programs (i.e., targeted joint attention intervention or parent education intervention) that will be carried out by interventionists and parents for 10-12 weeks. At the end of the intervention, these children will be re-evaluated on behavioral tasks and EEG to investigate changes as a result of the intervention.

The investigators hypothesize that the joint attention intervention will lead to significant changes on both the neural and behavioral measures of MNS functioning.

Enrollment: 100 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 59 months old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Children between the ages of 18 and 59 months with a confirmed or suspected DSM5 diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder
• The included parents or guardians are required to be the primary caregivers of these children
• Families must speak English in the home at least 75% of the time.

Exclusion criteria

• Seizure disorder (may influence EEG data)
• Gestational age <32 weeks
• History of serious head trauma
• Genetic syndrome (e.g., fragile X syndrome)

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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100 participants in 2 patient groups

Jasper

Experimental group

Description:

JASPER (Joint Attention Symbolic Play Engagement Regulation) is a targeted intervention that focusses on early communication skills.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Jasper

Parent Education

Experimental group

Description:

Parent education intervention focusses on parenting a child with autism.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Parent Education