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Completed

NCT Number: NCT04166591

Study 1 Replication and Extension of Prior Work

The goal of this research is to explore abilities to learn word meanings from overheard conversations in children with ASD (and, as a control, typically developing children).

Specific Aim 1 (Experiment 1): Subaim 1a: Identify child characteristics associated with learning from overhearing. In a prior study, the investigators found that 13 children with ASD were able to learn the meanings of novel words that they heard used in a conversation involving two adults. In the current study, the investigators aim to study a larger sample to identify what child characteristics are associated with good learning in an overhearing situation as compared to a situation in which the child is directly taught the new word. Subaim 1b: Assess retention and generalization of words learned from overhearing. The investigators will re-test children on their knowledge of the word meanings after a 10-minute delay to see if they both retain the word meanings and can generalize the new words to new situations.

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Key information

Conditions

Autism Spectrum Disorder Child Development Disorders, Pervasive Mental Disorders Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Age range

18 month–71 month

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Emerson College, Boston, Massachusetts, United States

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Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • children with or without a diagnosis of ASD between 18 to 71 months of age

Exclusion criteria

  • native language is not English
  • born premature (< 36 weeks)
  • has uncorrected hearing or vision impairments
  • has developmental disorders or medical conditions other than ASD that affect language or cognition (excepting psychiatric conditions often comorbid with ASD such as ADHD)
  • has a history of photosensitive epileptic seizures

Treatment and study plan

Overheard Speech

Behavioral

New words are introduced with the child as an observer rather directly taught.

Addressed Speech

Behavioral

New words are introduced directly to the child by an experimenter.

Primary outcomes

  1. Number of Children Who Select the Target Object as Measured by Gaze Preference.

    Time frame: immediately after viewing 3-minute interaction

    Children are prompted to identify the object that is associated with the target word.

  2. Number of Children Who Select the Target Object as Measured by Gaze Preference.

    Time frame: 5 minutes after viewing interaction

    Children are prompted to identify the object that is associated with the target word.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

New York University

Other

Collaborators

  • Emerson College

Registry information

Official study title

Learning New Words From Overhearing in Children With ASD

Important dates

Study start
2021
Primary completion
2024
Study completion
2024
First posted
Nov 18, 2019
Registry last updated
Apr 4, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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