Assistive Soft Skills and Employment Training (ASSET) in TBI Injury

Traumatic Brain Injury Clinical Trial

Official title:

Assistive Soft Skills and Employment Training (ASSET) in Traumatic Brain Injury

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT05705817
• Other study ID #: E-1201-22
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: June 5, 2023
• Est. completion date: June 1, 2024

Study information

• Verified date: October 2023
• Source: Kessler Foundation
• Contact: Jeannie Lengenfelder
• Phone: 19733248447
• Email: jlengenfelder[@]kesslerfoundation.org
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) is often associated with difficulties in social functioning. Loss of social contacts and difficulties maintaining social connections is common after pediatric TBI, extending into adulthood. Social skills are a key aspect of social functioning critical to forming and maintaining social relationships with others, including family, friends, teachers and co-workers. Social skills deficits are thus critical to social participation and overall quality of life. The identification of treatment techniques to effectively address these issues are thus of paramount importance. The ability to improve social skills in adolescents and young adults is critical as they transition from school settings into the workforce. Impairments in social skills have been demonstrated to underlie difficulties transitioning from school to work and independent living in students with disabilities. Therefore, targeting social skills interventions as individuals enter adulthood and enter the workforce is likely to improve overall functioning during this transitional period in their lives.

The current study will examine preliminary efficacy of a manualized group intervention that targets social skills, specifically work-related social skills known as soft skills. Targeting not only general social skills, but soft skills in particular, is expected to be particularly useful for teens and young adults as they transition from school into the workforce.

The Assistive Soft Skills and Employment Training (ASSET) is a 15-session training program that combines specific skill training, structured learning, social performance training and a social hour to practice skills through a manualized group intervention. Specific skills taught within the program include communication, attitude and enthusiasm, teamwork, networking, problem-solving and critical thinking, professionalism, mental health and stress management, awareness of self and others, workplace relationships and self-advocacy. ASSET utilizes a manualized curriculum and provides additional support including handouts, PowerPoint summaries, instructional procedures, video models, materials for caregivers, and an online platform to support learning the program. ASSET has been utilized with young adults with ASD with very positive results, improving performance on measures of social skills, social communication, self-confidence/self-efficacy and psychological wellness. The current proposal will test the efficacy of the ASSET program in youth and young adults with TBI between the ages of 15 and 25, a critical time as individuals' transition from school settings into the workforce. The proposal will evaluate the primary outcome of improvements in social skills following completion of the ASSET program. Secondary outcomes of self-efficacy, depression, anxiety and quality of life will also be evaluated following completion of the program.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Recruiting
• Enrollment: 20
• Est. completion date: June 1, 2024
• Est. primary completion date: June 1, 2024
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 15 Years to 25 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 15-25

• At least one year post injury.

Exclusion Criteria:

• any other significant neurological history other than their TBI.

• unstable or uncontrolled seizures (as defined by an increase in the rate of seizures over the 3 months before study participation)

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Brain Injuries
• Brain Injuries, Traumatic
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Wounds and Injuries

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Assistive Soft Skills and Employment Training (ASSET)
The ASSET program is a 15-session training program that combines specific skill training, structured learning, social performance training and a social hour to practice skills through a manualized group intervention. Specific skills taught within the program include communication, enthusiasm and attitude, teamwork, networking, problem-solving and critical thinking, and professionalism.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Kessler Foundation	East Hanover	New Jersey

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Kessler Foundation

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Social Skills Questionnaire for Traumatic Brain Injury	This is a 41-tem scale to assess social skills in TBI	Within 2 weeks