NCT01258465

Research in Autism: Parent Intervention

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 39 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of California, San Diego · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 24 Months – 47 Months
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The purpose of this research project was to systematically compare two widely used types of intervention programs for children with autism within a parent training model. In one condition, randomly assigned children were provided with an intervention that typically results in acquisition of expressive words in a large percentage of children diagnosed as having autism, using a well-documented manualized intervention focused on verbal expressive communication only (Pivotal Response Training, PRT). In the other condi¬tion, randomly assigned children received a widely used intervention on the same social communication functions using a well-documented manualized augmentative system of intervention (Picture Exchange Communica¬tion System, PECS) that has been reported to produce verbal and nonverbal communication in large percentages of children diagnosed with autism. Children in the two conditions were compared for development of verbal and nonverbal communication, changes in disruptive behavior, changes in symptoms of autism, and general adaptive behavior gains. In addition, parent satisfaction and stress measures were gathered in order to assess the effects of each intervention on family functioning.

Conditions

• Autistic Disorder

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Pivotal Response Training	Naturalistic behavioral protocol designed to teach vocal communication.
BEHAVIORAL	Picture Exchange Communication System	Pictorially-based behavioral protocol designed to teach communication to nonverbal children via pictures icons.

Timeline

• Start date: 2005-01-01
• Primary completion: 2009-12-01
• Completion: 2009-12-01
• First posted: 2010-12-13
• Last updated: 2010-12-13

Locations

2 sites across 1 country: United States