Reciprocal Imitation Training and Musical Rhythm Sensitivity in Autistic Toddlers
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18-36
SponsorVanderbilt University Medical Center
About this trial
The primary goal of this study is to examine rhythm sensitivity as a predictor of response to naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention (NDBIs) in autistic toddlers. Toddlers receive either Reciprocal Imitation Training (RIT), an evidence-based NDBI that supports children's imitation and social communication skills, or a music-enhanced version of RIT. Throughout their participation in the intervention, toddlers will complete study procedures of viewing naturalistic videos of infant-directed singing and other social scenes while eye gaze data is collected.
Eligibility criteria
This trial does not accept healthy volunteersQualifiers
diagnosis of autism / autism spectrum disorder
18-36 months of age
Disqualifiers
Major hearing or visual impairment (e.g., congenital nystagmus), seizure disorder, genetic syndromes, or gestational age <=34 weeks.
Trial design
Design model
Parallel
Treatments tested in this trial
Reciprocal Imitation Training
BehavioralAs a naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention (NDBI), Reciprocal Imitation Training (RIT) utilizes contingent imitation, linguistic mapping, modeling, prompting, and contingent reinforcement to train object and gesture imitation during play activities.
music-enhanced Reciprocal Imitation Training
BehavioralMusic-enhanced imitation training uses music and rhythm to enhance the predictability and salience of the strategies utilized within the Reciprocal Imitation Training platform (i.e., contingent imitation, linguistic mapping, modeling, prompting, and contingent reinforcement to train object and gesture imitation during play activities).
Treatment groups
40 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groupsGroup A: Reciprocal Imitation Training (RIT)Active comparator 1 intervention
Group B: Music-Enhanced Reciprocal Imitation Training (meRIT)Experimental treatment 1 intervention
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Change in rhythmically entrained eye-looking (eye-tracking)
Trajectories of rhythmically entrained eye-looking to predictable and unpredictable child-directed singing assessed via passive eye-tracking.
Time frame
Change from baseline through 2-week follow-up post-interventionSecondary outcomes
1
Change in overall fixation to eyes (eye-tracking)
Trajectories of proportion of time spent fixating on the eyes while viewing predictable and unpredictable child-directed singing assessed via passive eye-tracking.
Time frame
Change from baseline through 2-week follow-up post-intervention2
Change in child elicited motor imitation
Children's performance on the Motor Imitation Scale (score 0-32). Higher scores indicate greater performance.
Time frame
Change from baseline to 2-weeks follow-up after intervention3
Change in child spontaneous motor imitation
Children's performance on the Unstructured Imitation Assessments (score 0-20)
Time frame
Change from baseline to 2-weeks follow-up after interventionSponsors and contacts
Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Lead sponsor
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Collaborator
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
Collaborator
Source ClinicalTrials.gov