Effects of Receptive Language Intervention vs Individual Therapy for Preschool Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Effects of Receptive Language Intervention vs Individual Therapy for Preschool Children With

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication and social interaction and the presence of restricted, repetitive behaviors. Atypical behaviors, conditioning, and difficulties interacting with others are emblems of Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently affects receptive language skills essential for comprehension and communication. Early intervention is crucial for optimizing language outcomes. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) investigates the comparative efficacy of receptive language intervention (RLI) in group versus individual therapy settings for preschool children with ASD.

This study aims to investigate the efficacy of receptive language intervention (RLI) in group versus individual therapy settings for preschool children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) aged 3-5 years. The study aims to address the knowledge gap regarding optimal delivery methods for receptive language interventions. Twenty preschool children (ages 3-5) with ASD will be randomly assigned to either group (n=10) or individual (n=10) therapy conditions. Outcome measures will assess by Laura Mize Teach Me To Talk receptive language checklist, noted before therapy and after completing 20 sessions post-therapy (after 7 weeks). Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 20. An Independent t-test was utilized to see any difference between groups. The study's findings will inform evidence-based practice, enhancing receptive language skills in preschool children with ASD. The study could give precious perceptivity to clinicians, preceptors, and policymakers, helping them make informed, substantiation-based opinions about the most effective and doable intervention strategies. The expected outcomes include comparable receptive language outcomes between group and individual therapy, identification of setting-specific benefits and challenges, and child characteristics influencing treatment response.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Receptive language intervention by using the total communication

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 30
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Imran Amjad, PhD; Phone Number: 03324390125; Email: imran.amjad@riphah.edu.pk
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Syeda Mariam Zahra, MS SLP; Phone Number: 03344164996; Email: mariam.zahra@riphah.edu.pk

Study Locations

• Pakistan
  • Punjab
    • Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, 42000
      • Recruiting
      • Irum Khara
      • Contact: Irum Khara, MS; Phone Number: 03203986465

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Children aged 3 to 5 years diagnosed with ASD.
• Children who are able to attend regular therapy sessions as scheduled in the study (either group or individual therapy).
• Both male and female will be included.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Children with co-occurring severe medical conditions.
• Children who have already received intensive speech and language therapy for receptive language skills within the last 6 months.
• Children with behavioral issues so severe (e.g., aggression, extreme hyperactivity) that they might disrupt group therapy sessions or be unable to focus in individual therapy.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Individual Therapy; 14 participant will receive individual therapy. Each participant will receive 3 session per week for 2 Months.	Other: Receptive language intervention by using the total communication; Receptive language intervention using Total Communication (TC) for children with autism can be highly effective. Total Communication involves using a combination of communication methods to support language comprehension and expression. It recognizes that individuals with autism often benefit from multi-modal communication rather than relying solely on spoken language.
Active Comparator: Group Therapy; 16 participants will divided in 2 groups. each group will receive 3 session per week for 2 Months.	Other: Receptive language intervention by using the total communication; Receptive language intervention using Total Communication (TC) for children with autism can be highly effective. Total Communication involves using a combination of communication methods to support language comprehension and expression. It recognizes that individuals with autism often benefit from multi-modal communication rather than relying solely on spoken language.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Laura Mize Teach Me To Talk receptive language checklist, Me To Talk receptive language checklist,	Laura Mize, a pediatric speech-language pathologist, created the "Teach Me To Talk" resources, including a Receptive Language Skills Checklist. This checklist is designed to help parents, therapists, and educators assess and track a child's receptive language development, particularly for toddlers and young children with language delays or disorders, including autism.	2 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Riphah International University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Syeda Mariam Zahra, MS SLP, Riphah International University

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Gajre MP, Shah M, Pradhan SV, Aseri H. Examining the Impact of Group-Based Social Skills Intervention in Autistic Children Aged Eight to 15 Years. Cureus. 2024 Feb 1;16(2):e53376. doi: 10.7759/cureus.53376. eCollection 2024 Feb.
• Akbar RF, Kiyani HS, Saqulain G. Effectiveness of group therapy versus individual therapy in acquisition of pre-linguistic skills in children with expressive language disorders. The Rehabilitation Journal. 2023.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 20, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 20, 2025
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 29, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 7, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 7, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): April 15, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 15, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 7, 2025
• Last Verified: April 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive; Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Other Study ID Numbers: REC/RCR & AHS/24/0655

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