Cognitive Support Technology for Postsecondary Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Trial

Official title:

Cognitive Support Technology for Postsecondary Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial at the Intervention Efficacy Stage of Research

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT04980963
• Other study ID #: 20-069
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: March 1, 2020
• Est. completion date: June 30, 2024

Study information

• Verified date: July 2021
• Source: Kent State University
• Contact: Mykal Leslie, PhD
• Phone: 3306725798
• Email: mleslie8[@]kent.edu
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

This study will fill important knowledge gaps in the availability of best practices that use innovative methods to integrate the cognitive and vocational needs of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who will be transitioning from 2- and 4-year postsecondary education to employment. Best practices exist from the assistive technology (AT) field to help people compensate for cognitive impairments, and from the vocational rehabilitation (VR) field to enhance employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities. However, these practices have not been integrated to provide needed supports and services to improve the employment outcomes of students with ASD. The study's goal is to expand the availability of innovative practices by testing the efficacy of a technology-driven, long-term, and resource-rich individualized support program that merges assistive technology for cognition and vocational rehabilitation practices. The end products will include technology application guidelines, training and procedural manuals, and resource information that rehabilitation professionals and students with ADS can utilize to enhance technology and mentoring proficiency, academic success, self-determination, and long-term career success for students with ASD.

The knowledge to be gained from this research will have a beneficial impact on students with ASD, rehabilitation professionals, higher education personnel, case managers, and employers who work with people with ASD. There is strong potential for the students to develop skills that will help them succeed in learning as well as employment settings. The ultimate benefit of research activities for the target population will be seen in the improved capacity for postsecondary students with ADS to utilize state-of-the-art technology to accommodate disability-related limitations, address career readiness, and to prepare for and obtain employment after graduation.

Because the risks to subjects are no greater than those associated with everyday life and because the study staff will refer students who are in psychological distress or medical emergency situations to appropriate resources in the community, the minimal risks of this study justify the considerable benefits that this study will yield. Not only will the study benefit participating students, it stands to make important contributions to the knowledge bases in the fields of assistive technology and rehabilitation.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Recruiting
• Enrollment: 90
• Est. completion date: June 30, 2024
• Est. primary completion date: June 30, 2024
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: N/A and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Must be a post-secondary student enrolled in degree programs at two-year and four-year colleges or universities within a 60-mile radius of Kent, Ohio

• Must have a clinical diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Exclusion Criteria:

• No other exclusion criteria will be applied

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Autistic Disorder
• Child Development Disorders, Pervasive

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Cognitive Support Technology (CST)
Cognitive Support Technology (CST) products and strategies are used to help people with disabilities compensate for or accommodate cognitive limitations (including those related to interpersonal communication and social cognition) that present difficulties for them in the performance of desired social roles, especially education and employment. CSTs may be mainstream everyday technologies such as tablet computers or they may be specialized devices designed for specific goals such as step-by-step instruction in the performance of a particular task (Scherer, 2012).

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Kent State University	Kent	Ohio

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Kent State University	Virginia Commonwealth University

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Grade Point Average (GPA)	Participant GPA	Baseline (enrollment in study), 6 months, and 1 year (study completion)
Secondary	Current academic standing		Baseline (enrollment in study), 6 months, and 1 year (study completion)
Secondary	Post-Secondary Enrollment Status	% of participants still enrolled in a postsecondary program	Baseline (enrollment in study), 6 months, and 1 year (study completion)
Secondary	Satisfaction with current living status and transportation access	Measured using single item 5-point Likert question on questionnaire	Baseline (enrollment in study), 6 months, and 1 year (study completion)
Secondary	Satisfaction with Social Support	Measured using single item 5-point Likert question on questionnaire	Baseline (enrollment in study), 6 months, and 1 year (study completion)
Secondary	Current Employment Status	Three items on questionnaire including dichotomous employment question (e.g., are you employed?), if yes, number of hours employed and weekly earnings.	Baseline (enrollment in study), 6 months, and 1 year (study completion)
Secondary	% of Participants Receiving Disability Benefits	Whether participants receive SSDI and/or SSI benefits or not	Baseline (enrollment in study), 6 months, and 1 year (study completion)
Secondary	Depression Symptoms	Measured using Beck Depression Inventory- II (BDI-II)	Baseline (enrollment in study), 6 months, and 1 year (study completion)
Secondary	Overall Health Status	Measured using RAND 36-item Health Survey	Baseline (enrollment in study), 6 months, and 1 year (study completion)
Secondary	Perceived Stress	Measured using Perceived Stress Scale- 10	Baseline (enrollment in study), 6 months, and 1 year (study completion)
Secondary	Acceptance of Disability	Measured using the Acceptance of Disability Scale- Short Form	Baseline (enrollment in study), 6 months, and 1 year (study completion)
Secondary	Quality of Life (QoL)	Measured using the Qualify of Life Scale	Baseline (enrollment in study), 6 months, and 1 year (study completion)