Recruiting

Hand Gestures

Sponsor:

Montana State University

Code:

NCT07054866

Conditions

Autism Disorder

Language Development Disorders

ADHD

Typical Development

Rural Health

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 2+

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Interventions

Speech-Gesture combinations

Study Details

Brief summary:

This research study investigates how hand gestures can support language comprehension and communication skills of hearing speaking, non-speaking, and/or minimally verbal individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), who are especially disadvantaged by the lack of accessible services in their rural communities. Individuals with other cognitive profiles, including Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), ADHD, Dyslexia, and others are welcome too. The study uses methods of eye tracking and recording of brain activity to understand how hand gestures adapted from signs from American Sign Language, such as \[cry\], can promote successful understanding of words like "cry". The overarching goal is to help families effectively utilize gestures to support communication with their children.

Conditions

Autism Disorder

Language Development Disorders

ADHD

Typical Development

Rural Health

Study ID

NCT07054866

Start date

Oct 1, 2025

Status verified date

Oct, 2026

Completion date

Dec, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Dec, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 2+

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • 1.1 Confirmed (preferably) or suspected diagnosis of ASD (autism spectrum disorder), or a receptive language impairment (i.e., difficulties with comprehension, Developmental Language Disorder), or both. Additional diagnoses, including ADHD (Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder), are acceptable. Siblings and cousins of these individuals are also welcome.

OR 1.2 No diagnoses of ASD or DLD for unrelated control typically-developing participants.

2\. Normal hearing and normal vision (or corrected to normal with glasses or contacts).

3\. Ages 2+. 4. English as the dominant language of caregivers. 5. Caregivers who self-identify as living in a rural area. 6. The ability to verbally or physically respond is optional.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • 1\. Poor hearing. 2. Inborn or acquired brain damage.

Study Design

Enrollment

50 participants

Anticipated

Intervention Model

Single group

Primary purpose

Basic Science

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Language Evaluation

Interventions

Speech-Gesture combinations

this is a pretest, test, posttest evaluation of language comprehension with and without gestures, to see if gestures can improve language comprehension

Primary outcome measure

  • EEG/ERP brain response [ Time Frame: from Enrollment to completion of study protocol within 3 months ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Nadya N Modyanova, Ph.D.

406-848-1535language-research@montana.edu

Bernadette McCrory, Ph.D.

406-994-2801bernadette.mccrory@montana.edu

Locations

Montana State University

Recruiting

Bozeman, Montana, United States, 59717

Contacts

Nadya Modyanova, Ph.D.

406-848-1535language-research@montana.edu

More Information

Sponsor

Montana State University

Last update posted

Oct 8, 2026

Last verified

Oct, 2026

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-10-24. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Montana State University on 2026-10-08. Recruitment status is synced daily from ClinicalTrials.gov and may not reflect the sponsor's current status. Confirm during your call.