Clinical trial NCT02995564: The Multi-Media Social Skills Project for Adults
Official title: The Multi-Media Social Skills Project for Adults: Validation of an Intervention for Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorders
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Autism Spectrum Disorders
Keywords: Social Skills
Asperger's
High-functioning autism
Young adults
Lead sponsor: Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Pennsylvania Bureau of Autism Services
First posted: 2016-12-16
Enrollment: 199
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 35
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: NA
Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: This study is investigating the development of a social skills training program for adults with Asperger's Syndrome or high-functioning autism, ages 18 to 35 years. The Principal Investigator for this study is Dr. Michael Murray, the director of the Autism Studies Division at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center. The purpose of this study is to adapt a social skills training program to address and enhance the social skills of adults with Asperger's Syndrome and high-functioning autism.

Detailed description: During group study visits, a group of six young adults with Asperger's Syndrome or high-functioning autism will meet weekly for about 90 minutes. The purpose of the group sessions is to work on everyday social skills such as initiating and maintaining conversations, establishing friendships, and dealing with situations such as job interviews and dating.

A generalization session will be held every week after the group therapy session with same-age peers who have been screened to participate in the study. The purpose of including peers in the class is to give young adults with Asperger's syndrome and high-functioning autism a chance to practice the social skills learned in the group study visit with a peer group. Study participants will be paired with a typically developing peer for an outing in the community to a nearby restaurant or shop or an in-class exercise such as a mock job interview.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Between 18 and 35 years of age
* Must be a Pennsylvania resident
* A primary diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome or high-functioning autism, as confirmed by the SRS-2
* A verbal IQ of 85 or above on the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test, Second Edition
* English as primary language spoken
* Ability to fluently speak in full sentences

Exclusion Criteria:

* A significant language delay
* Difficulty with aggression directed at peers
* A primary thought disorder
* A secondary disorder of anxiety or depression so severe as to prevent the individual's participation in the treatment
* A current high school student at start of intervention
* Low social motivation demonstrated through formalized assessment and/or by responses given to screening interview

Primary outcomes:
measure: Social Responsiveness Scale - Adult
timeFrame: One week post-intervention
measure: Video recording of Social Interaction
timeFrame: One week post-intervention
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Achenbach Adult Behavior Checklist
timeFrame: One week post-intervention
measure: Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale for Adults (SELSA)
timeFrame: one week post-intervention
measure: Social Skills Inventory (SSI)
timeFrame: one week post-intervention
measure: Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN)
timeFrame: one week post-intervention
measure: Empathy Quotient
timeFrame: one week post-intervention
measure: Achenbach Adult Behavior Checklist - Self Report
timeFrame: one week post-intervention
measure: Social Fluency Assessment
timeFrame: one week post-intervention
measure: Achenbach Adult Behavior Checklist
timeFrame: three months post-intervention
measure: Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale for Adults (SELSA)
timeFrame: three months post-intervention
measure: Social Skills Inventory (SSI)
timeFrame: three months post-intervention
measure: Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN)
timeFrame: three months post-intervention
measure: Empathy Quotient
timeFrame: three months post-intervention
measure: Achenbach Adult Behavior Checklist - Self Report
timeFrame: three months post-intervention
measure: Social Fluency Assessment
timeFrame: three months post-intervention
measure: Social Responsiveness Scale - Adult
timeFrame: three months post-intervention
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Hershey
country: United States
facility: The Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute Northeast Drive Clinic
state: Pennsylvania
Study officials:
affiliation: Penn State College of Medicine
name: Michael Murray, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: