AutismNCT06649916
Word Learning From Parentese in Autistic Children
A study testing Parentese Speech and Adult Registered Speech in people with Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorder, run by The University of Texas at Dallas at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The overall objective of this research is to determine whether parentese delivered in the video format (Aim 1) and in live interaction (Aim 2) facilitates novel word learning in autistic children and to investigate if there are factors that influence the effect of parentese on word learning (Aim 3). Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 59 monthsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Autism, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- What is being tested?
- Parentese Speech and Adult Registered Speech
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 100 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 4 Oct 2024to 1 Mar 2028
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
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 59 months
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child
Who may be able to join
- children with or without a diagnosis of ASD between 18 and 59 months
Who cannot join
- hears another language more than 10% of time based on parent report
- has uncorrected visual impairment or hearing impairment
- has developmental disorders or medical conditions other than ASD that affect language or cognition (excepting psychiatric conditions often comorbid with ASD such as ADHD)
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
McKenzie Cullinan, MS contact
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
University of Texas at Dallas
Richardson, Texas, 75080
Pumpki L. Su, PhD, 973-883-2384, lei.su@utdallas.edu
McKenzie Cullinan, MS, mckenzie.cullinan@utdallas.edu
About this study
Official title: Autism Word Learning and Infant Directed-Speech
The overall objective of this research is to determine whether parentese delivered in the video format (Aim 1) and in live interaction (Aim 2) facilitates novel word learning in autistic children and to investigate if there are factors that influence the effect of parentese on word learning (Aim 3).
Read the detailed description
Caregivers frequently use parentese, also known as infant-directed speech (IDS), when speaking to young children. Compared to adult registered speech, parentese is typically characterized by greater pitch variation, longer duration, and louder volume. Parentese facilitates early language development in typically developing (TD) children. However, it remains unknown whether the facilitative effect of parentese on language learning can be generalized to clinical populations such as autistic children given that core autism features (e.g., sensory and social communication differences) may interact with how they process and learn from parentese. Most autistic children do not reach age-appropriate language ability even if they receive timely early intervention. Determining if autistic children can learn language from parentese, a common way language input is provided to young children, is a critical first step toward understanding whether language input needs to be adjusted to optimize their language development.
The overall objective of this research is to determine whether parentese facilitates novel word learning in autistic children and to investigate if the effect of parentese is conditional upon input factors (recorded parentese vs live parentese presented in social interaction) and child factors (extreme responses to auditory input, social motivation). In Aim 1, the investigators will use a video-based word learning paradigm to determine the effect of recorded parentese on novel word learning in autistic children compared to language-matched TD peers. Aim 2 focuses on the effect of live parentese on novel word learning: an experimenter will teach children two novel words, presented in live parentese or live parentese, during social interaction. Aim 3 will examine whether child factors (extreme responses to auditory input, social motivation) explain variability in word learning accuracy from recorded parentese and live parentese in the autistic group. Children's extreme responses to auditory input (including hyper- and hypo-responsiveness) and social motivation will be measured using caregiver questionnaires and will be used to predict word learning accuracy from recorded parentese (Aim 1) and live parentese (Aim 2) in the autistic group.
- Being tested
- Parentese Speech, Adult Registered Speech
- Keywords
- autism, word learning, language development
- Medical subject headings
- Autistic Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Neurodevelopmental Disorders
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Parentese SpeechBehavioural
Also called Infant-Directed Speech
Novel words are introduced in parentese, a type of speech that is typically characterized by greater pitch variation, longer duration, and louder volume
Adult Registered SpeechBehavioural
Also called Adult-Directed Speech
Novel words are introduced in standard adult register.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Parentese | Experimental | All participants will learn novel words in two conditions (parentese vs adult register) in each of the experiment (video and live word learning). In the Parentese condition, participants will listen to sentences that contain novel words in parentese. Receives: Behavioral: Parentese Speech |
| Adult Register | Active comparator | All participants will learn novel words in two conditions (parentese vs adult register) in each of the experiment (video and live word learning). In the Adult Register condition, participants will listen to sentences that contain novel words in adult register speech. Receives: Behavioral: Adult Registered Speech |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Proportion of time during which children's eye gaze is directed toward the target object
Children's eye gaze is recorded as they look at images. The proportion of time during which gaze is directed to an image of the targeted word is the dependent measure.
Measured: 300 ms after the target words are introduced
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted21 Oct 2024
- Study start4 Oct 2024
- Primary completion1 Mar 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Mar 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for AutismStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
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
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Investigator
- Enrolment
- 100 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- The University of Texas at Dallas
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Dr. Pumpki Lei Su, The University of Texas at Dallas
- Investigators
- Pumpki L. Su, PhD, Principal investigator, The University of Texas at Dallas
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06649916
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- IRB-24-616
- Other IDs
- R21DC021803
- Status last verified
- Oct 2025
- First submitted
- 17 Oct 2024
- Last updated
- 23 Oct 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: This was what was proposed in the study dissemination plan: Summary results of the primary outcomes for all aims will be uploaded to ClinicalTrials.gov within 12 months of the data collection for the final participants.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 23 Oct 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Autism Word Learning and Infant Directed-Speech
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06649916
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- IRB-24-616
- Keywords
- autism, word learning, language development
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 100 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- The University of Texas at DallasUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
- Study start
- 4 Oct 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Mar 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Mar 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 21 Oct 2024 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The overall objective of this research is to determine whether parentese delivered in the video format (Aim 1) and in live interaction (Aim 2) facilitates novel word learning in autistic children and to investigate if there are factors that influence the effect of parentese on word learning (Aim 3).
Detailed description
Caregivers frequently use parentese, also known as infant-directed speech (IDS), when speaking to young children. Compared to adult registered speech, parentese is typically characterized by greater pitch variation, longer duration, and louder volume. Parentese facilitates early language development in typically developing (TD) children. However, it remains unknown whether the facilitative effect of parentese on language learning can be generalized to clinical populations such as autistic children given that core autism features (e.g., sensory and social communication differences) may interact with how they process and learn from parentese. Most autistic children do not reach age-appropriate language ability even if they receive timely early intervention. Determining if autistic children can learn language from parentese, a common way language input is provided to young children, is a critical first step toward understanding whether language input needs to be adjusted to optimize their language development.
The overall objective of this research is to determine whether parentese facilitates novel word learning in autistic children and to investigate if the effect of parentese is conditional upon input factors (recorded parentese vs live parentese presented in social interaction) and child factors (extreme responses to auditory input, social motivation). In Aim 1, the investigators will use a video-based word learning paradigm to determine the effect of recorded parentese on novel word learning in autistic children compared to language-matched TD peers. Aim 2 focuses on the effect of live parentese on novel word learning: an experimenter will teach children two novel words, presented in live parentese or live parentese, during social interaction. Aim 3 will examine whether child factors (extreme responses to auditory input, social motivation) explain variability in word learning accuracy from recorded parentese and live parentese in the autistic group. Children's extreme responses to auditory input (including hyper- and hypo-responsiveness) and social motivation will be measured using caregiver questionnaires and will be used to predict word learning accuracy from recorded parentese (Aim 1) and live parentese (Aim 2) in the autistic group.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (investigator)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Parentese | Experimental | Behavioral: Parentese SpeechAll participants will learn novel words in two conditions (parentese vs adult register) in each of the experiment (video and live word learning). In the Parentese condition, participants will listen to sentences that contain novel words in parentese. |
| Adult Register | Active comparator | Behavioral: Adult Registered SpeechAll participants will learn novel words in two conditions (parentese vs adult register) in each of the experiment (video and live word learning). In the Adult Register condition, participants will listen to sentences that contain novel words in adult register speech. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 59 months
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- children with or without a diagnosis of ASD between 18 and 59 months
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- hears another language more than 10% of time based on parent report
- has uncorrected visual impairment or hearing impairment
- has developmental disorders or medical conditions other than ASD that affect language or cognition (excepting psychiatric conditions often comorbid with ASD such as ADHD)
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Parentese SpeechAlso: Infant-Directed SpeechNovel words are introduced in parentese, a type of speech that is typically characterized by greater pitch variation, longer duration, and louder volume | Behavioural | Parentese |
| Adult Registered SpeechAlso: Adult-Directed SpeechNovel words are introduced in standard adult register. | Behavioural | Adult Register |
Primary outcome
Proportion of time during which children's eye gaze is directed toward the target object
Time frame: 300 ms after the target words are introduced
Children's eye gaze is recorded as they look at images. The proportion of time during which gaze is directed to an image of the targeted word is the dependent measure.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 23 Oct 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. This was what was proposed in the study dissemination plan: Summary results of the primary outcomes for all aims will be uploaded to ClinicalTrials.gov within 12 months of the data collection for the final participants.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
McKenzie Cullinan, MS contact
Pumpki L. Su, PhD principal investigator
The University of Texas at Dallas
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Parentese Speech and Adult Registered Speech in people with Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorder, run by The University of Texas at Dallas at 1 site 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?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 23 Oct 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site 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?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Pumpki L Su, PhD (972-883-2384, lei.su@utdallas.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Proportion of time during which children's eye gaze is directed toward the target object (time frame: 300 ms after the target words are introduced). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 23 Oct 2025.