Recruiting

Observational Study

Sponsor:

Ball State University

Code:

NCT06309160

Conditions

Autism

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autistic Disorder

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 16 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Interventions

COMPASS Across Settings (CAST)

Study Details

Brief summary:

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to develop and test the COMPASS \[Collaborative Model for Competence and Success\] Across Settings (CAST) intervention to enhance the goal setting and attainment skills of autistic youth. Despite federal education law mandating transition services as part of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) for ensuring good outcomes for students with disabilities, current educational practices have been unable to demonstrate that autistic students experience positive postsecondary outcomes. There are existing, evidence-based interventions aimed at supporting positive outcomes for these students. However, these interventions have not systematically provided coaching support to the caregivers, students, and employment specialists. To address these issues, CAST will integrate three evidence-based interventions for supporting student transitions while providing this critical coaching support. By doing so, CAST aims to align the priorities and goals of interventions across home, school, and community settings to better support positive postsecondary outcomes for autistic students.

Conditions

Autism

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autistic Disorder

Study ID

NCT06309160

Start date

Dec 1, 2023

Status verified date

Mar, 2024

Completion date

Jul, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Jul, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 16 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Students with verified autism and IEPs that designate services for autism
  • Caregivers of students with autism
  • Special education teachers of students with autism
  • Pre-employment specialists of students with autism

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Not planning to move or leave their job over the school year

Study Design

Enrollment

297 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

no intervention: Focus Groups to Inform CAST

For the year 1 development activities, the research team will conduct focus groups with administrators, special education teachers, parents, students, and pre-employment transition specialists about how to integrate plans and services across settings.

experimental: Pre-Post study of CAST

The research team will then conduct a field test of CAST in year 2, making further revisions.

active comparator: Randomized Controlled Study of CAST

In year 3, they will use a mixed methods design using a small RCT and network analysis, oversampling African American students and students from rural areas, to evaluate CAST for improved postsecondary outcomes in employment, training, and education.

Interventions

COMPASS Across Settings (CAST)

CAST will begin with an initial joint session with the student, caregiver, special education teacher, and pre-employment transition specialist that allows for discussion on the student's postsecondary goals, preferences, frustrations, challenges, and strengths related to social skills, adaptive/self-management, communication, problem behaviors, learning skills, and sensory sensitivities and preferences. This discussion will pinpoint critical social, communication, and work behavior/learning goals related to postsecondary goals and inform the intervention plans that are generated for each goal. Following this initial consultation, there will be four additional 1-hour sessions that incorporate evidence-based coaching, provided by the investigators, including performance feedback monitoring and instructional support. Each session is standardized and allows for assessment of student progress and intervention modification/self-reflection on the implementation of the intervention plans.

Primary outcome measure

  • Goal Attainment of IEP progress (Ruble et al., 2012; 2018). [ Time Frame: Outcomes are assessed at the end of the school year (9 months from start of intervention) ]
  • Attainment of Postsecondary Goals (Ruble et al., 2019) [ Time Frame: Once a year (3 months following school graduation) ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Lisa A Ruble, PhD

765-285-5702lisa.ruble@gmail.com

Locations

Ball State University

Recruiting

Muncie, Indiana, United States, 47306

Contacts

Lisa Ruble, PhD

765-285-5702laruble@bsu.edu

More Information

Sponsor

Ball State University

Last update posted

Mar 13, 2024

Last verified

Mar, 2024

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-08. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Ball State University on 2024-03-13.