90 Participants Needed

JASPER Intervention for Autism

(EBJ Trial)

Recruiting at 3 trial locations
CK
CG
Overseen ByConsuelo Garcia, BS
Age: < 18
Sex: Any
Trial Phase: Academic
Sponsor: University of California, Los Angeles
No Placebo GroupAll trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)
Approved in 1 JurisdictionThis treatment is already approved in other countries

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial is testing JASPER, a play-based therapy, on young children with autism who have limited verbal skills. The therapy uses guided play to help these children improve their social and communication abilities. JASPER (Joint Attention, Symbolic Play, Engagement, and Regulation) is a naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention that has been found effective for promoting social communication in young children with autism.

Do I need to stop my current medications for the trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the JASPER treatment for autism?

Research shows that the JASPER treatment, which focuses on joint attention and symbolic play, helps improve language skills and play diversity in young children with autism. Children receiving JASPER showed greater expressive language gains and more diverse play behaviors compared to those in control groups.12345

Is the JASPER intervention safe for humans?

The available research on JASPER intervention for children with autism does not report any safety concerns, suggesting it is generally safe for use in humans.34678

How is the JASPER treatment different from other treatments for autism?

JASPER is unique because it focuses on improving joint attention (shared focus on an object or event), symbolic play (using objects to represent something else), engagement, and regulation in natural settings, which are critical developmental areas often overlooked in other autism treatments. It has shown promising results in enhancing play diversity, language skills, and social interactions in young children with autism.347910

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for children aged 18 months to 5 years with Autism Spectrum Disorder who are minimally verbal or have emerging phrase speech. They must have a nonverbal mental age of at least 12 months and a confirmed diagnosis of autism.

Inclusion Criteria

My child is between 18 months and 5 years old.
My child has a confirmed diagnosis and understands things like a 1-year-old or older.
My child speaks very little or uses only simple phrases.

Exclusion Criteria

Children without a confirmed diagnosis
My child's mental age is under 12 months.
My child is either younger than 18 months or older than 5 years.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks
1 visit (in-person)

Pre-Intervention Behavioral Testing

Administration of ADOS, MSEL, ESCS, SPA, CCX, and Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales. ELSA-T and BOSCC sessions for test-retest reliability.

1 week
2 visits (in-person)

Treatment

Participants receive JASPER intervention, either clinician-mediated or parent-mediated, for 10 weeks. Monthly check-ins for responders and non-responders.

10 weeks
20 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment. T3 assessments conducted.

10 weeks
2 visits (in-person)

Treatment Details

Interventions

  • JASPER
Trial OverviewThe study tests JASPER, a play-based intervention for autism, delivered by either clinicians or parents. It measures the effectiveness using BOSCC and ELSA-T assessments over a period of 20 weeks, with adjustments based on initial response after the first half.
Participant Groups
2Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Group I: parent-mediated JASPERExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
This group will consist of the therapist assisting the parent implement JASPER on the child twice a week.
Group II: clinician-mediated JASPERExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
This group will consist of the child and therapist having one-on-one, JASPER sessions, twice a week.

JASPER is already approved in United States for the following indications:

🇺🇸
Approved in United States as JASPER for:
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), specifically for improving social communication and play skills in minimally verbal children

Find a Clinic Near You

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of California, Los Angeles

Lead Sponsor

Trials
1,594
Recruited
10,430,000+

Simons Foundation

Collaborator

Trials
8
Recruited
101,000+

Findings from Research

Pivotal Response Training (PRT) effectively taught 7 children with autism to engage in symbolic play, resulting in all participants demonstrating complex and creative play behaviors comparable to typical peers.
The children not only generalized their newly learned play skills to different toys and settings but also maintained these behaviors three months after training, indicating lasting benefits and improved interaction skills.
Teaching symbolic play skills to children with autism using pivotal response training.Stahmer, AC.[2019]
Preschoolers with autism who participated in joint attention and symbolic play interventions showed significant improvements in the quality of joint attention, specifically in shared positive affect and utterances, compared to a control group.
The study highlights the effectiveness of targeted interventions in enhancing joint attention quality in children with autism, suggesting that these approaches can foster better social interactions.
Brief report: longitudinal improvements in the quality of joint attention in preschool children with autism.Lawton, K., Kasari, C.[2021]
In a pilot study involving minimally verbal children with autism aged 3 to 5, the JASPER intervention showed significant improvements in play diversity and engagement compared to a control group receiving standard ABA therapy.
The JASPER treatment, which included just 30 minutes of intervention twice a week, led to increased initiation of gestures and reduced unengaged time in the classroom, highlighting its potential effectiveness in addressing core deficits in autism.
Preschool based JASPER intervention in minimally verbal children with autism: pilot RCT.Goods, KS., Ishijima, E., Chang, YC., et al.[2021]

References

Teaching symbolic play skills to children with autism using pivotal response training. [2019]
Brief report: longitudinal improvements in the quality of joint attention in preschool children with autism. [2021]
Preschool based JASPER intervention in minimally verbal children with autism: pilot RCT. [2021]
Language outcome in autism: randomized comparison of joint attention and play interventions. [2022]
Symbolic play in autism: a review. [2019]
[Clinical efficacy of interactive group sandplay versus individual sandplay in the treatment of preschool children with autism spectrum disorder]. [2020]
The effects of JASPER intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review. [2021]
Effectivity of Play-Based Interventions in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Their Parents: A Systematic Review. [2023]
Joint attention and symbolic play in young children with autism: a randomized controlled intervention study. [2007]
10.United Statespubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Developmental Play Skills as Outcomes of Early Intervention. [2023]