Using Serious Games to Improve Social Skills in Autism — SAGA  

Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Trial

Official title: Using Serious Games to Improve Social Skills in Autism

Status Active, not recruiting

Clinical Trial Summary

The investigators will conduct a small-scale randomized control trial comparing the intervention game to an active control game, and will assess outcomes at multiple time points (pre-, post-, 6-month follow-up). These outcomes will include a wide range of behaviors that are measured along a continuum from controlled lab-based tasks to uncontrolled, real-world social interactions between dyads.

Clinical Trial Description

The investigators will conduct a small-scale randomized control trial comparing the intervention game to an placebo control game, and will assess outcomes at multiple time points (pre-, post-, 6-month follow-up). These outcomes will include a wide range of behaviors that are measured along a continuum from controlled lab-based tasks to real-world social interactions between dyads. The aims are evaluating 1) changes in the target mechanisms (social attention to faces, sensitivity to eye gaze cues) for the intervention relative to active control group, 2) engagement of intermediate mechanisms, including face-processing behaviors and real-world social communication behaviors, and 3) the relation between engagement of the target and intermediate mechanisms and symptom outcomes. Evidence of changes in autism social symptoms resulting from changing visual attention to faces and/or improved ability to understand eye gaze cues will provide clear evidence to inform a "go" decision about the therapeutic target for further clinical development. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Autism
• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Autistic Disorder

• NCT number: NCT03690661
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Penn State University
• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: December 1, 2019
• Completion date: May 31, 2024