None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
This project aims to test the effectiveness of a new online cognitive rehabilitation program known as S.M.A.R.T (Strengthening Mental Abilities with Relational Training) in children with Cerebral Palsy. The study will consist of a randomised controlled trial involving 60 participants, assigned to either the intervention group or a waitlist control. By the end of the study, all participants will have received access to the program. We predict that the S.M.A.R.T. program will be associated with improvements in performance on tests of intellectual functioning, academic achievement, and executive function, as well as measures of emotional and behavioural difficulties. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, immediately after treatment ends (20 weeks post baseline) and at 40 weeks, to measure retention.
Interventions
A novel online cognitive rehabilitation program (S.M.A.R.T.) has been developed by psychologists Dr Bryan Roche and Dr Sarah Cassidy to target a cognitive skill, relational framing. Relational frame theory suggests human language and complex cognition is underpinned by our ability to relate stimuli arbitrarily, and to derive relationships between novel stimuli.
This intervention involves children answering logical problems that directly train relational framing through an online, user-friendly p
A novel online cognitive rehabilitation program (S.M.A.R.T.) has been developed by psychologists Dr Bryan Roche and Dr Sarah Cassidy to target a cognitive skill, relational framing. Relational frame theory suggests human language and complex cognition is underpinned by our ability to relate stimuli arbitrarily, and to derive relationships between novel stimuli. This intervention involves children answering logical problems that directly train relational framing through an online, user-friendly platform. An example of such a problem would be, If B is larger than C,and A is larger than B, is C less than or more than A? Children receive immediate feedback on their answers. Participants will engage in the intervention from their own homes, using deidentified log-ins to access the web-based platform. They will work through the program for 1.5 hours a week, over three 30-minute sessions until 70 modules with problems of increasing complexity are completed and full dosage is received. Up to 5 modules may be completed within a 24-hour period. A psychologist will follow the progress of each participant through the online platform. Intervention will be completed within 20 weeks, and follow-up assessment will be undertaken 40 weeks post baseline.
Sponsors
The University of Queensland
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
8 Years to 12 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Children with Cerebral Palsy (GMFCS I-III) aged 8-12 years old living in Queensland who are able to attend assessment sessions in Brisbane. Must be able to access online program and perform tasks on iPad, tablet, Mac or PC.
Exclusion criteria
- unstable epilepsy -unstable brain injury (e.g, degenerative or metabolic condition) - active medical condition (e.g. chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or neurosurgical).
Outcome results
None listed