Evaluating a Social and Communication Intervention for Preschoolers



Status:Recruiting
Conditions:Neurology, Psychiatric, Autism
Therapuetic Areas:Neurology, Psychiatry / Psychology
Healthy:No
Age Range:3 - 6
Updated:11/22/2018
Start Date:July 2012
End Date:January 2022
Contact:Rebecca Landa, PhD, CCC-SLP
Email:landa@kennedykrieger.org
Phone:443-923-7680

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The purpose of this study is to test the effectiveness of a school-based treatment aimed at
increasing language and social skills in preschool-aged children with autism spectrum
disorder (ASD). Through interactive development (continually seeking educator feedback for
intervention improvement) and implementation of the intervention, the investigators hope to
provide a feasible and practical means for educators to work with children with ASD in real
world, large scale settings. ASD preschool educators, the children enrolled in their classes,
between the ages of 3 and 6 years and their families may join.

In Phase 4, KKI staff trained Delaware preschool teachers to serve as model coaches and
educators through the Delaware Autism Program. Families whose children were enrolled in
participating classrooms were consented through DAP using the school's consent to be
videotaped. Any families who did not consent for their child to be videotaped for this
training received the nonparticipant consent form currently utilized in this study and staff
videotaping took every effort to keep those children out of frame when taping. This cohort
involved KKI study team members training 1-2 coaches, who then trained five Delaware school
teachers. The IES model was implemented in the teacher's classrooms (n= 5-10 students
participating in each classroom; 20-40 children total).

In the current phase of the study, Phase 5 and 6, KKI study team members will continue the
evaluation of the IES model, by testing the efficacy of the intervention model in a larger
sample (Phase 5) and then analyzing the corresponding data (Phase 6). The larger efficacy
study (phase 5) will be conducted on teachers and students recruited from public school
districts in Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania using the same IES model and recruitment
methods in the previous phases.

Inclusion Criteria:

For Teachers:

- Work in an ASD preschool classroom within a cooperating Baltimore County Public School.

For Children:

- Meet Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Generic (ADOS; Lord et al., 2002) and
expert clinical judgment criteria for ASD

- Have an IQ or Developmental Quotient of at least 40 based on the Early Learning
Composite from the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (Mullen, 1995)

- Be enrolled in a participating Baltimore County Public School ASD preschool classroom

- Be between the ages of 3 and 6 and enrolled in a participating ASD preschool
classroom.

Exclusion Criteria:

Children and educators may be taken out of the study if they:

- Are unable to comply with the study protocol

- Change schools due to relocation

Children may also be taken out of this study if they:

- Sustain a head injury or other serious physical injury during the study

- Are not being brought in for testing as designated in the protocol
We found this trial at
3
sites
Newark, Delaware 19713
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Newark, DE
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Baltimore, Maryland 21211
Phone: 443-923-7680
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Baltimore, MD
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111 Elwyn Rd
Media, Pennsylvania 19063
Phone: 610-891-2196
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Media, PA
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