Social and Academic Interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorder

Overseen By Leanne Tamm, Ph.D.

Age: < 18

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati

Disqualifiers: Home schooled, Severe psychopathology, others

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 8 weeks

224 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests two different group programs to help middle-school children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) improve their skills. The Achieving Independence and Mastery in School (AIMS) program teaches strategies for organizing and planning schoolwork. The Building Essential Social Skills for Teens (BESST) program focuses on enhancing social skills, such as making friends and having conversations. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of these interventions. Children who may benefit from this trial include those with ASD who struggle with organizing schoolwork or socializing but do not have an intellectual disability. As an unphased trial, this study provides a unique opportunity for participants to explore new strategies for personal growth and skill development.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial requires that participants have a stable medication and behavioral treatment regime, so you will not need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that these interventions are safe for middle-school children with Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Research shows that both programs, Achieving Independence and Mastery in School (AIMS) and Building Essential Social Skills for Teens (BESST), are generally safe for middle school students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

For AIMS, earlier studies found that participants considered the program easy to follow and satisfying. These studies did not report any major safety issues, indicating that AIMS is well-received by the students.

For BESST, research on social skills training programs shows they are effective and safe for kids with ASD. These programs aim to improve social interactions and have been used in similar settings without any significant negative effects.

Overall, both programs focus on improving skills and use methods safely applied in similar programs for children with ASD. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about these interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) because they focus on practical skills that can significantly improve daily life for teens. Unlike traditional therapies that often center on general behavioral adjustments, the AIMS program specifically enhances executive functioning to boost academic independence. Meanwhile, the BESST program hones in on social skills, teaching teens how to effectively start and maintain conversations and friendships, which is crucial for their social development. Both programs involve real-world practice assignments and caregiver involvement, ensuring that skills are not only learned but also applied in everyday settings, making them potentially more impactful than standard approaches.

What evidence suggests that this trial's interventions could be effective for Autism Spectrum Disorder?

This trial will compare two programs for Autism Spectrum Disorder: Achieving Independence and Mastery in School (AIMS) and Building Essential Social Skills for Teens (BESST). Studies have shown that the AIMS program helps middle schoolers with ASD improve skills like planning and organization, which are crucial for schoolwork. Participants in AIMS experienced small to moderate improvements in these areas. Research indicates that the program is well-received and practical, with both kids and parents finding it helpful.

For the BESST program, research supports the effectiveness of social skills training for teenagers with ASD. These programs improve social interactions, such as starting and maintaining conversations and making friends. Participants often practice these skills in a safe setting before applying them in real-life situations, leading to better social outcomes. ^{1 3 4 5 6}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Leanne Tamm, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator

Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati

Amie Duncan, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator

Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for middle-schoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who are fully included in regular classes, have no intellectual disabilities, and struggle with organization and social skills. They should be on a stable medication and behavioral treatment plan.

Inclusion Criteria

* Problems with social skills

* Diagnosis of autism

* No intellectual disability

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive one of two group interventions focusing on either social skills or executive functioning skills for 8 weeks

8 weeks

Weekly sessions

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Achieving Independence and Mastery in School (AIMS)
• Building Essential Social Skills for Teens (BESST)

Trial Overview

The study tests two group interventions: AIMS focuses on improving social functioning, while BESST aims to enhance organizational and planning abilities. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of these programs.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Achieving Independence & Mastery in School (AIMS) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

AIMS targets executive functioning skills using evidence-based strategies for youth with ASD to promote increased independence related to academics. Each session involves a review of a real world practice assignment and a didactic component illustrating key concepts followed by an in-session practice of the key concepts and strategies with coaching from a therapist. A behavior agreement is used to identify specific goals for adolescents to work on in collaboration with their caregivers and specific rewards earned for meeting their goals. Adolescents are assigned a real world practice assignment each session that consists of additional practice of strategies to further build and generalize skills between sessions.

Group II: Building Essential Social Skills for Teens (BESST) Active Control 1 Intervention

BESST targets social skills using evidence-based strategies and includes sessions related to starting, joining, maintaining, and ending conversations and making, maintaining, and deepening friendships. Each skill will be introduced in a didactic lesson which includes modeling of the targeted skill by a therapist. Adolescents will role-play new skills during the session before receiving a homework assignment to practice the skill at home. Caregivers will receive training in social-communication difficulties in ASD and suggestions for supporting development of these skills. The sessions are specifically focused on generalizing newly learned skills to both home and school.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati

Lead Sponsor

Trials

844

Recruited

6,566,000+

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

Collaborator

Trials

2,103

Recruited

2,760,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

The schoolMAX intervention significantly outperformed typical educational programming (SAU) in enhancing social-cognitive understanding and reducing ASD-related symptoms in 103 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) without intellectual disability.

While most demographic and clinical factors did not influence treatment outcomes, baseline externalizing symptoms and adaptive skills were found to moderate specific outcomes, indicating that certain individual characteristics may affect the efficacy of the intervention.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Moderators of School Intervention Outcomes for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Lopata, C., Donnelly, JP., Thomeer, ML., et al.[2021]

The PEERS program, a social skills intervention for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder, demonstrated significant improvements in social engagement, cognition, communication, and motivation in a small pilot study involving five participants.

Participants also experienced notable reductions in internalizing and autistic symptoms after completing the PEERS intervention, suggesting its effectiveness in community settings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Pilot Study Examining the Effectiveness of the PEERS Program on Social Skills and Anxiety in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Hill, TL., Gray, SAO., Baker, CN., et al.[2020]

The Learning, Social and Emotion Adaptation Questionnaire-Short Form (LSEAQ-S) was developed to assess 53 adaptive behaviors in students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in mainstream classrooms, based on data from over 8,000 students across 204 schools in Hong Kong.

The LSEAQ-S demonstrated high reliability and validity, revealing that girls with ASD face greater challenges in adaptive skills compared to their male peers, particularly in higher grades, which can help educators tailor support and interventions effectively.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Learning, Social and Emotion Adaptation Questionnaire-Short Form: A Measure of Adaptive Behavior for Primary School Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Tse, HM., Ho, IT., Wong, K.[2021]

The Polish adaptation of the PEERS® curriculum significantly improved social skills and peer interactions among 29 adolescents with autism, with effects maintained for six months after the intervention.

The study found that the mode of delivery (online or hybrid) did not affect the treatment outcomes, suggesting that online formats can be effective for social skills training.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of Social Skills Training for Adolescents on the Autism Spectrum: a Randomized Controlled Trial of the Polish Adaptation of the PEERS® Intervention via Hybrid and In-Person Delivery. Płatos, M., Wojaczek, K., Laugeson, EA.[2023]

The PEERS program significantly improved friendship skills and social knowledge among 58 adolescents with higher-functioning ASD, as evidenced by increased social interactions and decreased social anxiety after the intervention.

Participants in the PEERS program also showed reductions in core autistic symptoms and problem behaviors, highlighting the program's effectiveness in enhancing social functioning in this population.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A replication and extension of the PEERS intervention: examining effects on social skills and social anxiety in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. Schohl, KA., Van Hecke, AV., Carson, AM., et al.[2021]

The PEERS Program significantly improved social skills in high-functioning adolescents with ASD, enhancing areas such as social communication and peer interactions, based on assessments from both participants and teachers.

Improvements in social skills were not only significant but also durable, with many gains maintained and even enhanced at a 14-week follow-up, indicating the long-term effectiveness of the intervention.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evidence-based social skills training for adolescents with autism spectrum disorders: the UCLA PEERS program. Laugeson, EA., Frankel, F., Gantman, A., et al.[2022]

The Seaver-NETT intervention, a 12-session cognitive-behavioral program, significantly improved social behaviors such as nonverbal communication and empathic responding in 69 verbal children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared to a facilitated play group.

Improvements in social behavior were more pronounced in children with higher verbal IQs, indicating that individual characteristics may influence the effectiveness of social skills training interventions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Randomized comparative trial of a social cognitive skills group for children with autism spectrum disorder. Soorya, LV., Siper, PM., Beck, T., et al.[2018]

The PEERS social skills intervention was effective in improving social functioning for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as reported by both the adolescents and their parents.

This pilot study included a diverse sample of 13 adolescents with ASD and utilized an objective measure of conversational skills, showing that improvements were maintained four months after the intervention.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Perceived and Observed Treatment Gains Following PEERS: A Preliminary Study with Latinx Adolescents with ASD. Veytsman, E., Baker, E., Martin, AM., et al.[2023]

The PEERS (®) program, a school-based social skills intervention, significantly improved social functioning in 73 middle school students with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD) over a 14-week period, as reported by teachers and parents.

Participants showed enhancements in areas such as social responsiveness, communication, and motivation, along with a decrease in social anxiety, highlighting the effectiveness of classroom-based interventions for teaching social skills to adolescents with ASD.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The ABC's of teaching social skills to adolescents with autism spectrum disorder in the classroom: the UCLA PEERS (®) Program. Laugeson, EA., Ellingsen, R., Sanderson, J., et al.[2021]

The PEERS social skills treatment significantly improved socio-emotional competencies in high-functioning adolescents with ASD, leading to reductions in aggression, anxiety, and withdrawal, as well as enhancements in emotional responsiveness and leadership skills.

Despite these improvements, the treatment did not affect the adolescents' ability to recognize emotions, indicating that while PEERS is effective for certain social and emotional skills, it may not address all areas of social functioning.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Parents Perceive Improvements in Socio-emotional Functioning in Adolescents with ASD Following Social Skills Treatment. N Lordo, D., Bertolin, M., L Sudikoff, E., et al.[2019]

Citations

1.

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7889749/

Achieving Independence and Mastery in School: An Open ...

This paper reports on an open trial of the intervention with 21 middle-schoolers with ASD. Results suggest high feasibility/satisfaction, and improved EF ...

2.

eric.ed.gov

eric.ed.gov/?id=ED639585

Achieving Independence and Mastery in School: ...

Individuals randomized to AIMS improved from baseline to post on academic EF outcome measures with small to moderate effect sizes, compared to ...

3.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32809169/

Achieving Independence and Mastery in School - PubMed - NIH

This paper reports on an open trial of the AIMS-Outpatient intervention with 21 middle schoolers with ASD. Results suggest high feasibility/satisfaction, and ...

4.

clinicaltrials.gov

clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06705907

Improving Academic and Social Functioning in Middle ...

AIMS targets executive functioning skills using evidence-based strategies for youth with ASD to promote increased independence related to academics.

5.

researchgate.net

researchgate.net/publication/343723687_Achieving_Independence_and_Mastery_in_School_An_Open_Trial_in_the_Outpatient_Setting

Achieving Independence and Mastery in School: An Open ...

This paper reports on an open trial of the AIMS—Outpatient intervention with 21 middle schoolers with ASD. Results suggest high feasibility/ ...

6.

withpower.com

withpower.com/trial/social-and-academic-interventions-for-autism-spectrum-disorder-dbfdc

Social and Academic Interventions for Autism Spectrum ...

The goal of this study is to test how well two group interventions work for middle-school children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).