Autism Spectrum Disorders
Conditions
Keywords
autism, videomodeling, behavioral therapy, parental training
Brief summary
This is a Brazilian multisite study to test the efficacy of an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) parent training using video modeling to teach parents of children with Autism techniques to apply to their children in order to improve eye contact and joint attention behaviors. Our hypothesis is that children with Autism whose parents will be trained by videomodeling will have better eye contact and joint attention behaviors compared to children with Autism whose parents will not be trained.
Detailed description
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is an intervention with proven efficacy in treating impairments on social functioning and daily-life activities of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In Brazil we have a limited number of qualified professionals and an increasing demand of families non-served in the public health system. Our main objective is to standardize and test the efficacy of a model for parent training using video modeling for teaching eye contact and joint attention behaviors in children with ASD. These two behaviors are essential to develop adequate social interaction, the core impaired domain in ASD. It is a multisite study to be carried out at the Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Universidade de São Paulo and Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie. The sample will be composed of 70 children divided in control and intervention groups that will be randomly chosen. The intervention should be carried out in 21 weeks.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALABA parent training
A parent training based on Applied Behavior Analysis that is going to be delivered by video modeling in 21 weeks
Sponsors
Mackenzie Presbiterian University, São Paulo, Brazil
University of Sao Paulo
Federal University of São Paulo
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
3 Years to 7 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Clinical Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders * Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders by means of ADI * IQ equal or lower than 70 by means of SON * Main caregiver's level of education \> primary education
Exclusion criteria
* IQ lower than 50 by means of SON * Child who is receiving ABA therapy at least 10 hours per week * Main caregiver diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Acquisition from baseline of new behaviors at 16 weeks | baseline assessment to 16 weeks | acquisition of new behaviors (eye contact and joint attention) checked through taped interactions between child and a family member |
| Acquisition from baseline of new behaviors at 21 weeks | baseline to 21 weeks | acquisition of new behaviors (eye contact and joint attention) checked through taped interactions between child and a family member |
| Acquisition from baseline of new behaviors at 8 weeks | baseline assessment to 8 weeks of therapy | acquisition of new behaviors (eye contact and joint attention) checked through taped interactions between child and a family member |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change from baseline in SON-R 2½-7 at 21 weeks | baseline assessment to 21 weeks | Improve on SON-R 2½-7 that is an intelligence coefficient test developed for deaf people |
| Change from baseline in OERA at 21 weeks | baseline assessment to 21 weeks | OERA (Observação Estruturada para Rastreamento de Autismo) is a taped structured observation to screen Autism that was developed by Brazilian researchers. |
| Change from baseline in Zaritt Burden Interview at 21 weeks | baseline assessment to 21 weeks | The Zaritt Burden Interview measures the caregiver burden of taking care of the relative with psychiatric disorder |
| Change from baseline in Eye-tracking at 21 weeks | baseline assessment to 21 weeks | Latency, duration, and sequence of visual fixations measured with eye-tracking |
| Change from baseline in Vineland Scale at 21 weeks | baseline assessment to 21 weeks | Adaptative behavior using Vineland Scale |
Other
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change from baseline in KAP at 21 weeks | baseline assessment to 21 weeks | Improvement on the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) questionnaire |
| Change from baseline in Hamilton scalels and at 21 weeks | baseline assessment to 21 weeks | Improvement on the Hamilton Depression and Anxiety scales of the caregiver |
Countries
Brazil
Outcome results
None listed