Speech-Gesture Combinations for Autism

(RAISE Trial)

Overseen By Nadya N Modyanova, Ph.D.

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Montana State University

Disqualifiers: Poor hearing, Brain damage

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 2

50 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores how hand gestures can assist individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and other communication challenges in improving understanding and communication. The study focuses on how gestures, adapted from American Sign Language, can enhance language comprehension for those with limited access to services, particularly in rural areas. Participants will undergo eye tracking and brain activity monitoring to assess how gestures aid understanding. It is suitable for individuals with ASD, language comprehension issues, ADHD, or Dyslexia, who live in rural areas and have normal hearing and vision. As an unphased trial, this study provides a unique opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking research that could improve communication strategies for those with limited service access.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It's best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your doctor.

What prior data suggests that these speech-gesture combinations are safe for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders?

Research has shown that using gestures along with speech is safe for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Studies have found that children with ASD often use gestures when they talk, similar to children without autism. This indicates that gestures are a natural part of their communication and do not cause harm.

The studies also highlight that gestures can help fill communication gaps, potentially aiding children in understanding and learning language better. No reports of negative effects from using gestures appear in these studies, suggesting that this approach is well-accepted.

In summary, current research supports the safety of using speech and gestures together for children with autism. This method aids communication without causing harm. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about using speech-gesture combinations for autism because this approach taps into the natural connection between movement and communication, which is often underutilized in traditional therapies. Unlike standard treatments that focus primarily on verbal skills, this method integrates gestures to enhance understanding and expression, potentially making communication more intuitive for those with autism. By combining speech with gestures, it may engage multiple areas of the brain simultaneously, offering a more holistic way to improve language skills.

What evidence suggests that speech-gesture combinations are effective for improving communication in individuals with Autism?

Research has shown that using both speech and gestures can improve communication for people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). This trial will evaluate the effectiveness of speech-gesture combinations in enhancing language skills. Studies have found that children with ASD often use fewer gestures and struggle to combine gestures with eye contact. However, combining speech with gestures can help overcome these challenges. Specifically, one study found that using gestures with speech makes it easier for autistic children to understand words by reducing the mental effort required. Another study suggested that gestures can lead to better spoken language skills in children with limited verbal abilities. These findings indicate that hand gestures can support understanding and help children with ASD communicate more effectively. ^{3 4 6 7 8}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for hearing speaking, non-speaking, and/or minimally verbal individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) living in rural areas. It also includes those with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), ADHD, Dyslexia, etc. The study aims to help these individuals improve communication skills.

Inclusion Criteria

My hearing and vision are normal, or corrected to normal.

No diagnoses of ASD or DLD for unrelated control typically-developing participants

English as the dominant language of caregivers

Exclusion Criteria

Poor hearing

Inborn or acquired brain damage

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Language and Gesture Evaluation

Participants undergo tasks involving passive viewing of gestures and language comprehension, as well as optional picture book tasks and questionnaires.

2-3 hours per session

1 visit (in-person)

Neuroimaging

Participants undergo EEG and fNIRS neuroimaging to measure brain responses to gestures and language stimuli.

2-3 hours per session

1 visit (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in language comprehension and communication skills post-intervention.

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Speech-Gesture Combinations

Trial Overview The study tests how hand gestures can aid language comprehension and communication in autistic individuals and others with cognitive challenges. It uses eye tracking and brain activity recording to assess the impact of adapted American Sign Language gestures on understanding words.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Language Evaluation Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Montana State University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

47

Recruited

1,044,000+

Citations

1. pubs.asha.org pubs.asha.org/doi/10.1044/2020_AJSLP-19-00206

Rate of Communicative Gestures and Developmental ... Children with autism used deictic gestures, vocalizations, and communicative acts for behavior regulation at significantly lower rates than the other groups.

2. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11253808/

Does Gestural Communication Influence Later Spoken ... The current study examined the predictive role of gestures and gesture–speech combinations on later spoken language outcomes in minimally verbal (MV) autistic ...

3. frontiersin.org frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.604542/full

The Gestures in 2–4-Year-Old Children With Autism ... In conclusion, ASD children produce fewer gestures and have deficits in JA gestures. The deficiency of integrating eye gaze and gesture is the ...

4. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0010027710000156

Speech-and-gesture integration in high functioning autism This study examined iconic gesture comprehension in autism, with the goal of assessing whether cross-modal processing difficulties impede speech-and-gesture ...

5. cambridge.org cambridge.org/core/product/1BDEAD00E64D8AF16B948458F05A6A4F

Co-speech gesture comprehension in autistic children Findings suggest that combining speech and gesture sequentially may be relatively spared in autism and might represent a way to alleviate the demand for ...

6. bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-024-06173-5

Early gesture development as a predictor of autism spectrum ... This study enrolled 47 EL infants and 27 low-likelihood (LL) infants to explore gesture developmental trajectories and the predictive value of gesture.

7. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8837194/

How do minimally verbal children and adolescents with autism ... Gesture–speech combinations. Similar to neurotypically developing children, children with ASD also continue to gesture following the onset of speech, but in ...

8. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S175094671930128X

Does autism affect gesturing during parent-child ... Children with ASD primarily use gesture to complement speech, while TD children use gesture to add information to speech.