Using Serious Game Technology to Improve Sensitivity to Eye Gaze in Autism

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The investigators hypothesize that this serious game (designed to provide a learning environment that maximizes opportunities for adolescents with autism to discover the functional utility of eye gaze) will improve sensitivity to eye gaze cues, specifically to identify gazed-at objects, and will also lead to increased social attention to faces in adolescents with autism. The investigators will test this hypothesis in a small-scale exploratory randomized control trial that will include both behavioral and eye tracking outcome measures.

Official Title
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Using Serious Game Technology to Improve Sensitivity to Eye Gaze in Autism

Conditions
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Autism

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Computer Game


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion criteria: parent/caregiver of an adolescent with a diagnosis of ASD, parent/caregiver and adolescent with ASD both native English speakers, adolescent with ASD aged between 10-18 years at enrollment, adolescent has normal vision and hearing with correction as indicated by parent report, adolescent is able to use a computer for the purposes of game play, adolescent scores > 80% correct (i.e., 0.5 SD less than M of TD adolescents) on online eye gaze screening task, ASD diagnosis of adolescent confirmed in lab via the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Full Scale IQ of adolescent determined to be between 70-130 on the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test, reading ability of adolescent determined to be at least a second grade level as assessed by the Oral and Written Language Scales, adolescent is capable of cooperating with testing, parent/caregiver and adolescent both consent/assent to participate in the research. Exclusion Criteria adolescent has had seizures within the previous two years, family lacks stable home internet, parent or adolescent refuses to consent/assent to take part in the research, adolescent is 18 and has a legal guardian, prohibiting him/her from legally consenting, or adolescent is 18 and cannot understand the consent (i.e., fails consent quiz).

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 10 Years
Maximum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Interventional Model Description: Participants randomized into intervention or standard care control conditions
Masking: Double


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Computer Game<br>All Computer Game participants will complete: online screening Diagnostic and eye-tracking pre-testing 2 month intervention Eye-tracking post-testing | Behavioral: Computer Game<br>* The game involves viewing subtle nonverbal behaviors of game characters for the purpose of executing their own goal-directed behavior in the game related to solving various crimes. The learning involves interpreting nonverbal cues on the animated characters, such as pointing, head turns, eye gaze cues.<br>|
| No Intervention: Waitlist control<br>All Treatment as usual control participants will complete: online screening Diagnostic and eye-tracking pre-testing Eye-tracking post-testing | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Static Eye Gaze Following Task | Eye tracking and accuracy | 2 months | 
| Dynamic Eye Gaze Following Task | Eye tracking and accuracy | 2 Months | 
| Social/Visual Attention Task | Eye tracking | 2 Months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Social Responsiveness Scale | Parents completing measure of autism-like behavior in adolescents | 2 months | 
| Social Skills Inventory System - Child version | Adolescents completing measure of social skills and problem behaviors in themselves | 2 months | 
| Social Skills Inventory System - Adult version | Parents completing measure of social skills and problem behaviors in adolescents | 2 months | 
| Treatment as Usual | Parents reporting on social and behavioral treatments adolescents receiving in and out of school | 2 months |