Improving Access to Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) Via Telehealth Parent Training

Last updated: July 15, 2024
Sponsor: Stanford University
Overall Status: Active - Recruiting

Phase

N/A

Condition

Williams Syndrome

Asperger's Disorder

Treatment

Pivotal Response Treatment

Clinical Study ID

NCT04042337
52597
  • Ages 2-5
  • All Genders

Study Summary

There is an urgent need for improved access to effective autism treatments. With advances in technology, distance learning models have particular promise for families who cannot access evidence-based parent training locally or may be on long wait-lists for behavioral treatments. Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) is an established treatment for autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however, a telehealth PRT model has not yet been evaluated in a controlled trial. This study will examine the effects of training parents in PRT via secure video conferencing and investigate 1) whether parents can learn via telehealth to deliver PRT in the home setting (PRT-T) and 2) whether their children will show greater improvement in functional communication skills compared to children in a waitlist control group. Participants will include 40 children age 2 to 5 years with ASD and significant language delay. Eligible children will be randomly assigned to either PRT-T (N=20) or waiting list (N=20). Weekly 60-minute parent training sessions will be delivered for 12 weeks via secure video conferencing software by a PRT-trained study therapist. The effects of PRT-T on parent fidelity of PRT implementation, child communication deficits including frequency of functional verbal utterances, and parent-report of communication skills on standardized questionnaires will be evaluated. This research will provide a foundation for wider dissemination of technology-based solutions to improve access to ASD treatment.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

Inclusion Criteria: Participants will include children ages a) 2:0 to 5:11 years, b) diagnosed with ASD (based on history, review of available medical records including diagnostic testing, e.g., ADOS) or suspicion of ASD diagnosis and confirmed with Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R; completed by phone), c) with significant adaptive communication deficits (i.e., either a Vineland-3 Communication subscale 2SD below average for 2 and 3 year olds and 3 SD below for 4 and 5 year olds or a Vineland-3 Expressive V-scale Score 2 SD below average for 2 and 3 year olds, or 3 SD below for 4 and 5 year old, and at least moderate severity on the CGI-S language subscale), d) able to vocalize with communicative intent during home video observation, e) stable treatment for at least 2 weeks prior to baseline (e.g., ABA, special education) with no more than 60 minutes per week 1:1 speech therapy and no anticipated changes during study participation, and f) an English-speaking parent able to consistently participate in study procedures.

Exclusion Criteria.

a) children who have a primary language other than English, b) parent or child diagnosed with severe psychiatric disorder or unstable medical problem, c) child participating in >15 hours per week of 1:1 ABA treatment at home, d) unstable medical condition such as severe seizures, e) Severe behavioral difficulties (e.g., self-injury or aggression that could present a safety risk to the child or family members during implementation of the intervention), f) previous adequate trial of pivotal response treatment, or g) living within 200 miles of Stanford University.

Study Design

Total Participants: 40
Treatment Group(s): 1
Primary Treatment: Pivotal Response Treatment
Phase:
Study Start date:
April 13, 2020
Estimated Completion Date:
December 31, 2026

Connect with a study center

  • Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    Stanford, California 94305-5719
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

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