Recruiting

Reciprocal Imitation & Musical Rhythm

Sponsor:

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Code:

NCT05880225

Conditions

Autism

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 1 - 3

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Reciprocal Imitation Training

music-enhanced Reciprocal Imitation Training

Study Details

Brief summary:

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.

Conditions

Autism

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Study ID

NCT05880225

Start date

Jul 3, 2023

Status verified date

May, 2026

Completion date

Apr 30, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Apr 30, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 1 - 3

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • diagnosis of autism / autism spectrum disorder
  • 18-36 months of age

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Major hearing or visual impairment (e.g., congenital nystagmus), seizure disorder, genetic syndromes, or gestational age <=34 weeks.

Study Design

Enrollment

40 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

active comparator: Reciprocal Imitation Training (RIT)

Children (n=20) receive 30 sessions of Reciprocal Imitation Training (RIT), delivered in 40-60 minute sessions 2-3 times/week.

experimental: Music-Enhanced Reciprocal Imitation Training (meRIT)

Children (n=20) receive 30 sessions of music-enhanced Reciprocal Imitation Training (meRIT), delivered in 40-60 minute sessions 2-3 times/week.

Interventions

Reciprocal Imitation Training

As 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

Music-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).

Primary outcome measure

  • Change in rhythmically entrained eye-looking (eye-tracking) [ Time Frame: Change from baseline through 2-week follow-up post-intervention ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Miriam Lense

615-322-3086miriam.lense@vumc.org

Locations

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Recruiting

Nashville, Tennessee, United States, 37232

Contacts

Miriam Lense

miriam.lense@vumc.org

More Information

Sponsor

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Last update posted

May 20, 2026

Last verified

May, 2026

Keywords

  • autism
  • imitation
  • social communication
  • rhythm
  • music

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-08. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Vanderbilt University Medical Center on 2026-05-20.