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NCT Number: NCT02099773

Support Staff-client Interactions With Augmentative and Alternative Communication

This exploratory and observational study focuses on adults with an intellectual disability (ID) and their support workers. Two groups of clients are observed: clients using Key Word Signing, and clients using aided Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). Approximately half of adults with ID is estimated to experience communication difficulties. AAC supports them in their daily communication aiming at optimal participation in society. Current communication models, such as Participation Model (Beukelman & Mirenda, 2005) and International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (WHO, 2001), regard both client-related and environmental factors as important elements of communication. A substantial part of the environmental factors is made up of the communication partners' characteristics. In daycare and residential services for adults with ID the support worker is an important communication partner .

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Key information

Conditions

Intellectual Disability Behavior Communication Communication Disorders Learning Disabilities Mental Disorders Nervous System Diseases Neurobehavioral Manifestations Neurodevelopmental Disorders Neurologic Manifestations Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

KULeuven, Leuven, Flanders, Belgium

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About this study

This study aims to:

  • with regard to teaching Key Word Signing (KWS), a specific form of AAC, to support workers:

Analyse the relation between training method, support workers' attitude, and short and long term sign knowledge.

  • with regard to the use of manual signs in everyday communication between support workers and adults with ID:
  • Identity the support workers' characteristics that may influence the quality/quantity of the communication between adults with ID who use manual signs and their support worker.
  • Analyse the nature of this influence as well as any possible interaction effects with the clients' characteristics.
  • Assess whether an existing instrument, designed for measuring interactions between parents and children with cerebral palsy using AAC, may be used with adults client and support workers.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

  • uses AAC with client
  • client has congenital intellectual disability
  • supports client for at least 6 months

Exclusion criteria

  • client has dementia symptoms
  • client has severe, non-corrected visual impairment
  • client has diagnosed autism

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

  1. Signing rate of support workers and individuals with intellectual disabilities

    Time frame: Three observation sessions over period of 2 weeks per participant, 2 years for all participants

    Proportion: number of signed utterances divided by total number (spoken + exclusively spoken) of utterances

  2. Sign imitation rate support workers and individuals with intellectual disabilities

    Time frame: Three observation sessions over period of 2 weeks per participant, 2 years for all participants

    Proportion: number of manual sign imitations divided by total number manual signs produced

Secondary outcomes

  1. Explicit Attitude of direct care staff towards manual signs

    Time frame: One testing per participant, over period of 6 months for all participants

    Self-developed survey with subscales (Likert response): scaled score

  2. Implicit Attitude of direct care staff working in towards manual signs

    Time frame: One testing per participant, over period of 6 months for all participants

    Single-Category Implicit Association Test scores

  3. Communicative functions of individuals with intellectual disabilities

    Time frame: Three observation sessions over period of 2 weeks per participant, 2 years for all participants

    Proportion of responses/acknowledgement versus all communicative functions (responses/acknowledgements as well as initiations)

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Support Staff's Interactions With Adults With Intellectual Disability Who Use Augmentative and Alternative Communication

Important dates

Study start
2014
Primary completion
2016
Study completion
2017
First posted
Mar 31, 2014
Registry last updated
Dec 11, 2017

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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