Single-Dual Task Performance in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Typically Developing Children

February 5, 2026 updated by: Gamze Demircioğlu, Atlas University

Comparing Single and Dual Task Effects in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Typically Developing Children

This study aims to compare the effects of single-task and dual-task conditions on motor performance and postural control in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and typically developing children. Participants' performance under single-task and dual-task conditions involving cognitive load will be evaluated to examine how cognitive demands affect physical task performance in both groups.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
90

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
      • Ordu, Turkey (Türkiye)
        • Moren Language, Speech, and Development Center

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study population consists of children aged 5 to 16 years, including children diagnosed with mild to moderate Autism Spectrum Disorder and age- and sex-matched typically developing children. All participants are able to follow basic instructions and complete single-task and dual-task motor assessments. Written informed consent is obtained from the legal guardians of all participants prior to enrollment.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Group:
  • Aged between 5 and 16 years
  • Diagnosed with mild to moderate Autism Spectrum Disorder based on Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) scores
  • Ability to understand basic visual, auditory, and verbal instructions
  • Sufficient cognitive capacity to follow dual-task instructions

Typically Developing Control Group:

  • Age- and sex-matched with the ASD group
  • No history of neurological, psychiatric, sensory, orthopedic, or developmental disorders
  • No acute or chronic medical conditions
  • No pain complaints during assessment
  • Written informed consent obtained from a legal guardian

Exclusion Criteria:

Both Groups:

  • History of neurological disorders, epilepsy, or seizures
  • Orthopedic or musculoskeletal conditions affecting balance
  • Visual or hearing impairments (except corrected vision or hearing with glasses or hearing aids)
  • Use of assistive devices for walking or balance
  • Use of medications affecting balance or motor performance
  • Presence of comorbid psychiatric disorders
  • Inability to cooperate adequately during assessment
  • Absence from more than two consecutive assessment sessions
  • Participation in another intervention program during the study period

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Autism Spectrum Disorder
The diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder was made by child and adolescent psychiatrists in accordance with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Fifth Edition (DSM-5) diagnostic criteria.
Other: Single- and Dual-Task Condition Assessment
Participants will perform motor tasks under single-task and dual-task conditions. In the dual-task condition, a concurrent cognitive task will be added to the motor task to increase cognitive load. Performance during these conditions will be assessed to examine the effects of cognitive load on motor performance and postural control. No therapeutic intervention, medication, or device is applied.
Typically developing child
A control group consisting of children with normal development, matched to the OSB group in terms of age and gender variables, was included.
Other: Single- and Dual-Task Condition Assessment
Participants will perform motor tasks under single-task and dual-task conditions. In the dual-task condition, a concurrent cognitive task will be added to the motor task to increase cognitive load. Performance during these conditions will be assessed to examine the effects of cognitive load on motor performance and postural control. No therapeutic intervention, medication, or device is applied.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Postural control performance
Time Frame: Day 3
Postural control will be assessed using the Nintendo Wii Balance Board under both single-task and dual-task conditions. The mean value of center of pressure sway in the medio-lateral and anterior-posterior directions will be calculated during a 30-second quiet standing task with eyes open. Values will be expressed in millimeters (mm).
Day 3

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Walking Performance
Time Frame: Day 3
Gait performance will be assessed under single-task and dual-task conditions using a sensor-based mobile gait analysis application. The mean walking speed will be calculated during a 6-meter walking task performed at a self-selected comfortable pace. Walking speed values will be expressed in meters per second (m/s).
Day 3
Motor Performance
Time Frame: Day 3
Motor performance will be assessed under single-task and dual-task conditions using the Sit-to-Stand App. During a 30-second sit-to-stand test, the mean vertical power will be calculated based on average vertical velocity normalized to body weight. Mean power values will be expressed in watts (W) and used as an indicator of lower extremity muscle performance.
Day 3
Childhood Autism Rating Scale
Time Frame: Day 1
The Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) was used to assess autism spectrum disorder and rate its severity. The CASR is an observation-based assessment tool developed by Schopler, Reichler, and Renner in 1980.The scale consists of 15 items and covers behavioral areas such as social relationships, imitation, emotional responses, physical movements, adaptation, visual and auditory responses, olfactory responses, language communication, and intelligence . In the scoring of the test, 15-29 points indicate no signs of autism, 30-37 points indicate mild to moderate levels, and 38-60 points indicate severe levels of autistic traits .
Day 1

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Atlas University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 1, 2025

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
October 1, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
February 5, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
December 23, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 23, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
January 7, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
February 6, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 5, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 2024-ATLAS-MSEHF-003

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings