Clinical Trial: Robot-Mediated Intervention for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Study Status: Recruiting
Recruit Status: Recruiting
Study Type: Interventional

Official Title: Robot-Mediated Social Skills Intervention for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Brief Summary: This study is being done to examine the impact of an interactive, social robotics program in helping children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) understand emotions and how to better recognize emotions while interacting with others. Eligible families will be randomized to either the robot intervention (n=20) or a no intervention (TAU; n=20) condition for 8-14 weeks. Assessments will occur at pre- and post-intervention as well as weekly for both conditions.

Detailed Summary:
Sponsor: Hugo W. Moser Research Institute at Kennedy Krieger, Inc.

Current Primary Outcome: Change in baseline emotions accurately identified on the Transporters Quiz [ Time Frame: 14 weeks into treatment (at completion of intervention) ]

The Transporters Quiz (Autism Transporters CIC, Autism Research Center) is a quiz developed to test a child's understanding of the emotions portrayed in stories. The quiz examines whether a child can link a word describing an emotion, the facial expression of that emotion, and the causes of the emotion. This quiz will be given prior to starting treatment and again at the completion of the intervention.


Original Primary Outcome: Same as current

Current Secondary Outcome:

  • Change in baseline Social Responsiveness Scale Score [ Time Frame: 14 weeks into treatment (at completion of intervention) ]
  • Number of prompt-free intervals during the treatment sessions [ Time Frame: Weekly throughout intervention schedule (8-14 weeks) ]
    For treatment condition only. One session a week will be randomly selected to be recorded for 15 minutes and coded for the number of times the child independently and appropriately interacts with the robot.
  • Change in baseline parent report of child's emotion recognition [ Time Frame: 14 weeks into treatment (at completion of intervention) ]


Original Secondary Outcome: Same as current

Information By: Hugo W. Moser Research Institute at Kennedy Krieger, Inc.

Dates:
Date Received: November 24, 2015
Date Started: November 2015
Date Completion: March 2018
Last Updated: May 12, 2017
Last Verified: May 2017