| City: |
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Blacksburg |
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State:
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VA |
| Zip Code: |
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24061 |
| Conditions: |
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Autistic Disorder - Child Development Disorders, Pervasive |
| Purpose: |
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This study will develop and test a treatment aimed at reducing anxiety in social situations
for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders.
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| Study summary: |
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Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are developmental disorders with similar features,
including problems communicating, problems interacting socially, and the presence of
routines or repetitive behaviors. These disorders can have a range of severities. They
include autistic disorder, Asperger's syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder not
otherwise specified (PDD-NOS). In addition to their core impairment in social functioning,
children and adolescents with ASDs often have anxiety about social interactions, which
compounds their difficulties and can limit the benefits of treatment. This study will
develop and test a treatment program for developing social skills and reducing anxiety in
children and adolescents with ASDs.
Participation in this study will last 12 to 14 weeks, with follow-up visits occurring 3 and
12 months after that. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive the treatment
program either immediately or after being on a wait list. The treatment program will consist
of 12 to 14 weekly individual therapy sessions that teach children and adolescents about
ASDs, use cognitive-behavioral interventions to address problematic thinking and acting,
deliver social skills instruction, and give opportunities to practice skills—including some
practice outside the clinic in naturalistic settings. Every 2 weeks, starting at Week 4,
children and adolescents will also attend group sessions to discuss strategies and practice
social skills. Parents of the participants will be included at the end of each individual
session for several minutes. After the participants assigned to immediate treatment complete
the program, participants from the wait list will be offered the treatment.
Child and adolescent participants and their parents will complete assessments at baseline,
midpoint in treatment, post-treatment (Week 12 or 14), and 3- and 12-month follow-ups.
Participants assigned to the wait list condition will complete assessments only at baseline,
before entering treatment (Week 12 or 14), and after completing treatment. Assessments will
involve questionnaires about social and emotional functioning, interviews with study
researchers, and surveys on satisfaction with the study. The child or adolescent's primary
teacher will also complete questionnaires about the child. |
| Criteria: |
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Inclusion Criteria:
- Diagnosis of autism, Asperger's syndrome, or pervasive developmental disorders not
otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), as determined by clinical interview and supported by
the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) and Autism Diagnostic Observation
Schedule (ADOS)
- Has completed assessment of brief verbal intelligence quotient (IQ), with a score of
70 or higher on the Weschler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI)
- Symptoms of anxiety, defined as a clinical severity rating of 4 or higher on one of
the following sections of the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for Children
(ADIS-C) and parents (ADIS-P): generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social phobia,
specific phobia, agoraphobia, or separation anxiety disorder
- If on psychiatric medication, on stable dose for 4 weeks prior to baseline assessment
with no planned changes to medication for anxiety
Exclusion Criteria:
- Psychopathology that warrants a different type of immediate clinical care
- Severe aggression, as determined by clinical judgment
- Mental retardation, as reported by parents or in previous psychoeducational testing
supplied by parents
- Child and family currently in therapy |
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| Study is available at: |
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Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, VA 24061
United States
Primary Contact:
Susan W. White, PhD
Email: sww@vt.edu
Phone: 540-231-6174 |
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If you are interested in this clinical trial please use the contact information above. If you would like to get additional information about this clinical trial please visit ClinicalTrials.gov.
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| Data Source: |
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ClinicalTrials.gov |
| Date Processed: |
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March 23, 2011 |
Modifications to
this listing: |
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Only selected fields are shown, please use the link
above to view all information about this clinical trial. |
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