A primary school research study to establish whether Social Stories™ can improve social and emotional health in children with autism spectrum disorder

Conditions

Childhood autism Mental and Behavioural Disorders

Barry Wright, Jane Blackwell, Kerry Bell, Catarina Teige, Laura Mandefield et al. (24 authors)

Child and Adolescent Mental Health2024-12-174 citations

Impact of Social Stories on social and emotional health of autism spectrum primary school children: the ASSSIST2 RCT with economic evaluation

Barry Wright, Kerry Bell, Jane Blackwell, Catarina Teige, Laura Mandefield et al. (24 authors)

Health Technology Assessment2024-08-012 citations

10.3310/jbtm8017

Autism Spectrum Social Stories In Schools Trial 2 (ASSSIST2): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial analysing clinical and cost-effectiveness of Social Stories™ in primary schools.

Wright B, Teige C, Watson J, Hodkinson R, Marshall D, Varley D, Allgar V, Mandefield L, Parrott S, Kingsley E, Hargate R, Mitchell N, Ali S, McMillan D, Wang H, Hewitt C.

2020-06-123 citations

10.1186/s40359-020-00427-z

Interventions

The trial design is a cluster randomised controlled trial with an internal pilot comparing the Social Story™ intervention with care as usual. Trial participants are 4-11-year-old primary school childr

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

4 Years to 11 Years

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: 1. Aged 4-11 years 2. Attends a school in Yorkshire and Humber 3. Has a research diagnostic criteria diagnosis of ASD and daily challenging behaviour

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: 1. The school has used Social Stories™ for the child in the current or preceding school term 2. The child or interventionist teacher has taken part in the ASSSIST feasibility study. The study will not exclude schools that have taken part

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Child social responsiveness measured using the Social Responsiveness Scale, Second Edition (SRS-2)	—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
1. Challenging behaviours measured using a bespoke goal-based outcome measure (validated with blinded observation of 20% of participants in a classroom setting by research assistants at 6 weeks and at 6 months) at 6 months 2. Social and emotional health measured using Revised Children Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) short form at 6 months 3. Cost-effectiveness of Social Stories™ measured using a bespoke resource use questionnaire at 6 months 4. Health-related quality of life measured using a bespoke health care resource use questionnaire and EQ-5D-Y proxy at 6 months 5. Parental stress levels measured using Parental Stress Index (PSI) short form at 6 months 6. Classroom attendance and out of area placements measured using a bespoke questionnaire to determine current school care/education plan interventions and support provided to the child in class at 6 months 7. Sustainability of Social Stories™ measured using a bespoke Social Stories™ sustainability questionnaire at 6 months 8. Treatment preference measured using a bespoke preference questionnaire prior to randomisation at baseline 9. Session delivery measured using a bespoke Social Stories™ session log capturing frequency, length and times; problems or adverse events in the context of delivery at 6 weeks	—

Measure

Time frame

1. Challenging behaviours measured using a bespoke goal-based outcome measure (validated with blinded observation of 20% of participants in a classroom setting by research assistants at 6 weeks and at 6 months) at 6 months 2. Social and emotional health measured using Revised Children Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) short form at 6 months 3. Cost-effectiveness of Social Stories™ measured using a bespoke resource use questionnaire at 6 months 4. Health-related quality of life measured using a bespoke health care resource use questionnaire and EQ-5D-Y proxy at 6 months 5. Parental stress levels measured using Parental Stress Index (PSI) short form at 6 months 6. Classroom attendance and out of area placements measured using a bespoke questionnaire to determine current school care/education plan interventions and support provided to the child in class at 6 months 7. Sustainability of Social Stories™ measured using a bespoke Social Stories™ sustainability questionnaire at 6 months 8. Treatment preference measured using a bespoke preference questionnaire prior to randomisation at baseline 9. Session delivery measured using a bespoke Social Stories™ session log capturing frequency, length and times; problems or adverse events in the context of delivery at 6 weeks

—

Countries

England, United Kingdom

Outcome results

None listed