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Autism Spectrum DisorderNCT04114942

PEERS© for Careers

A study testing Never Coach, Internship Only Coach and Constant Coach in people with Autism Spectrum Disorder, run by University of California, Los Angeles at 2 sites in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The current study proposes to investigate the effectiveness of PEERS© adapted to target postsecondary students with ASD as they prepare for careers (PEERS© for Careers). Building upon the PEERS© evidence base, PEERS© for Careers will target the development of social competence and related skills as they pertain to the… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 35 years
Conditions the study is for
Autism Spectrum Disorder
What is being tested?
Never Coach, Internship Only Coach and Constant Coach
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
106 participants
Where
2 sitesUnited States
Study dates
1 Jan 2020to 28 Oct 2022
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 35 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult

Inclusion Criteria - Participants will be eligible if they meet the following criteria:

  • graduated from high school (GED or diploma)
  • between the ages of 18-35
  • currently or have history of enrollment in post-secondary education (e.g. junior college, community college, 4-year university)
  • have a pre-existing ASD diagnosis without severe co-morbid mental health disorders that may actively impair their ability to participate in the PEERS© for Careers program (e.g., psychosis)
  • have intellectual functioning at or above the average range (>85).

Exclusion Criteria - Participants will NOT be eligible if they:

  • have not graduated from high school (GED or diploma)
  • are not between the ages of 18-35
  • are not currently of have a history of enrollment in post-secondary education (e.g. junior college, community college, 4-year university)
  • do not have a pre-existing ASD diagnosis, or they have a severe co-morbid mental health disorders that may actively impair their ability to participate in the PEERS© for Careers program (e.g., psychosis)
  • have intellectual functioning below the average range (<85).

Trial locations and contacts

2 sites in 1 country.

United States2 sites
  • UCLA CAN Clinic

    Los Angeles, California, 90095

  • UCLA PEERS Clinic

    Los Angeles, California, 90095

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: PEERS© for Careers: An Evidence-based Social Skills Treatment for Post-secondary Employment

The current study proposes to investigate the effectiveness of PEERS© adapted to target postsecondary students with ASD as they prepare for careers (PEERS© for Careers). Building upon the PEERS© evidence base, PEERS© for Careers will target the development of social competence and related skills as they pertain to the work setting in a 20-week didactic course and subsequent 10-week internship. In the first phase of the study, participants will be randomized to be paired with a career coach to support practicing and generalizing the skills learned within the didactics portion of the program or to receive the didactic training without a career coach. In the second phase of the study, participants who were randomized to receive the didactic training with a coach will continue to receive coaching during the following 10-week internship phase. Those who completed the didactic training without a coach will be re-randomized to either a career coach or no coach condition and will complete a 10-week internship as well.

Read the detailed description

Young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often experience poor postsecondary employment outcomes; significantly worse than would be expected based upon their cognitive abilities. Social skills deficits are a major contributor to the challenges young adults with ASD experience obtaining and maintaining employment. Across studies, research indicates rates of unemployment from 40 to 75% for the ASD population, compared to 18.5% for the general population of young adults in the same year. Data from a nationally representative survey of young adults indicated that only 53.4% of individuals with ASD had ever worked for pay since high school, and only 33.6% were currently employed. This reflects a rate of unemployment that is four times higher than individuals with intellectual disability, and six to 12 times higher than individuals with prior special education services under categories other than "Autism," even after adjusting for covariates such as adaptive skills and conversational ability.

Despite this substantial gap in employment attainment for individuals with ASD, there are limited services available to support the transition from post-secondary education to the workforce. Existing services often focus on vocational training and supports, rather than underlying social skill deficits, and are typically designed for individuals with comorbid intellectual disabilities. Recently, a randomized control trial was conducted using the Project SEARCH intervention, which was modified for high school seniors with ASD. Results were promising, including higher rates of job attainment and higher wages after the intervention.

It is clear that additional intervention development and rigorous research is needed to address the ASD employment gap, particularly for individuals who have completed high school and have age-typical intellectual abilities. The Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS©) is one of the only evidence-based social skills interventions for adolescents and adults with ASD. PEERS© has been disseminated world-wide with consistent positive outcomes that are maintained over time, including improvements in social responsiveness, cooperation, and self-control, as well as increased frequency of peer get-togethers and a reduction in ASD-related mannerisms and preoccupations.

While social skills interventions have helped young adults with ASD improve friendship skills, there is a paucity of comprehensive evidence-based treatments focused on the social skills young adults need to obtain and maintain employment. The success of the PEERS© program in improving friendship-related social skills, coupled with the significant employment challenges experienced by this population, was the impetus for the development of the comprehensive employment transition program PEERS© for Careers.

The current study proposes to investigate the effectiveness of PEERS© adapted to target postsecondary students with ASD as they prepare for careers (PEERS© for Careers). Building upon the PEERS© evidence base, PEERS© for Careers will target the development of social competence and related skills as they pertain to the work setting in a 20-week didactic course and subsequent 10-week internship. In the first phase of the study, participants will be randomized to be paired with a career coach to support practicing and generalizing the skills learned within the didactics portion of the program or to receive the didactic training without a career coach. In the second phase of the study, participants who were randomized to receive the didactic training with a coach will continue to receive coaching during the following 10-week internship phase. Those who completed the didactic training without a coach will be re-randomized to either a career coach or no coach condition and will complete a 10-week internship as well.

Being tested
Never Coach, Internship Only Coach, Constant Coach
Keywords
young adult, college, transitions, career development, social skills
Medical subject headings
Autism Spectrum Disorder, Social Skills

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Never CoachBehavioural

    20 weeks of didactic training and 10 weeks of internship, but no coaching.

  • Internship Only CoachBehavioural

    20 weeks of didactic training with no coaching and 10 weeks of internship with coaching.

  • Constant CoachBehavioural

    20 weeks of didactic training and 10 weeks of internship, with coaching throughout.

Study groups in NCT04114942
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Constant CoachExperimentalRandomized to have coach during didactic training and internship.
Receives: Behavioral: Constant Coach
Internship Only CoachExperimentalRandomized to have coach during internship only.
Receives: Behavioral: Internship Only Coach
Never CoachExperimentalRandomized to never have coach.
Receives: Behavioral: Never Coach

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Change in Employment-related Social Skills Knowledge as Assessed by Test of Employment Social Skills (TESS)

    The Test of Employment Social Skills (TESS) is a novel, 36-item criterion-referenced measure created to assess young adults' knowledge of the specific social and employment-related skills taught during the intervention. Changes from baseline in TESS scores after 20-week didactic, 10-week internship, and 10-week follow-up will be compared across different interventions.

    Measured: baseline (entry), after 20-week didactic (20 weeks after entry), after 10-week internship (30 weeks after entry), at 10-week follow-up (40 weeks after entry)

  2. Change in Employment-related Social Skills Knowledge as Assessed by Adapted Contextual Assessment of Social Skills (CASS)

    The Contextual Assessment of Social Skills (CASS) is a role-play assessment of conversational skills for verbally-fluent adolescents and young adults with ASD which is systematically behaviorally coded. The CASS will be adapted for a work-setting scenario. Change from baseline in CASS scores after 20-week didactic, 10-week internship, and 10-week follow-up will be compared across different interventions.

    Measured: baseline (entry), after 20-week didactic (20 weeks after entry), after 10-week internship (30 weeks after entry), at 10-week follow-up (40 weeks after entry)

  3. Change in Social Skills Knowledge as Assessed by Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2)

    The Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2) is a standardized, validated measure of severity of ASD symptoms as they occur in natural settings. Changes from baseline in SRS-2 scores after 20-week didactic, 10-week internship, and 10-week follow-up will be compared across different interventions.

    Measured: baseline (entry), after 20-week didactic (20 weeks after entry), after 10-week internship (30 weeks after entry), at 10-week follow-up (40 weeks after entry)

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. Autism Severity as Assessed by Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI-II)

    The Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI-II) is a standardized, abbreviated measure of cognitive ability. Scores on the WASI-II at baseline will be analyzed to test whether autism severity at baseline moderates the effect of the intervention as assessed by changes in TESS, CASS, and SRS-2 scores.

    Measured: baseline (entry)

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted3 Oct 2019
  2. Study start1 Jan 2020
  3. Primary completion26 May 2022
  4. Study completion28 Oct 2022

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Factorial
Model description
A sequential multiple assignment randomized trial (SMART) will be conducted, with data collected at 4 major time points (baseline, post P1 (20 weeks), post P2 (10 weeks), 10-week follow up). After baseline assessments, participants will be randomized to receive the 20-week didactic training either with the assistance of a career coach or without (Phase 1). In Phase 2, individuals randomized to the coach condition will continue in the internship phase with a coach. Individuals randomized to the no-coach condition will be re-randomized to either receive assistance from a career coach during their 10-week internship or complete the internship alone. A follow-up, 10-weeks post internship, will be conducted to measure maintenance of treatment gains.
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
106 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT04114942
Sponsor's protocol ID
11934
Status last verified
Mar 2024
First submitted
25 Sep 2019
Last updated
8 Mar 2024
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Laugeson EA, Gantman A, Kapp SK, Orenski K, Ellingsen R. A Randomized Controlled Trial to Improve Social Skills in Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: The UCLA PEERS((R)) Program. J Autism Dev Disord. 2015 Dec;45(12):3978-89. doi: 10.1007/s10803-015-2504-8.

    PubMed 26109247
  • Ohl A, Grice Sheff M, Small S, Nguyen J, Paskor K, Zanjirian A. Predictors of employment status among adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Work. 2017;56(2):345-355. doi: 10.3233/WOR-172492.

    PubMed 28211841
  • Roux AM, Shattuck PT, Cooper BP, Anderson KA, Wagner M, Narendorf SC. Postsecondary employment experiences among young adults with an autism spectrum disorder. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2013 Sep;52(9):931-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2013.05.019. Epub 2013 Jul 31.

    PubMed 23972695
  • Taylor JL, Seltzer MM. Employment and post-secondary educational activities for young adults with autism spectrum disorders during the transition to adulthood. J Autism Dev Disord. 2011 May;41(5):566-74. doi: 10.1007/s10803-010-1070-3.

    PubMed 20640591

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Never Coach, Internship Only Coach and Constant Coach in people with Autism Spectrum Disorder, run by University of California, Los Angeles at 2 sites in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 8 Mar 2024. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 2 sites in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Change in Employment-related Social Skills Knowledge as Assessed by Test of Employment Social Skills (TESS) (time frame: baseline (entry), after 20-week didactic (20 weeks after entry), after 10-week internship (30 weeks after entry), at 10-week follow-up (40 weeks after entry)). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT04114942, which also lists 4 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 8 Mar 2024.

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PEERS© for Careers (NCT04114942) | AzTrials