AutismNCT07830160
Improving Autism Program Quality in Special Education Units: The Use of an APERS-based Model to Support Student Learning and Participation
A study testing APERS+ in people with Autism and Sociocommunicative Challenges, run by Stockholm University at 1 site in Sweden.
Trial summary
This study assesses the effect of using the Autism Program Environment Rating Scale (APERS) as a tool for providing feedback, in-service training, and coaching to school staff in order to improve program quality in special education units (SEUs) for children with autism or related sociocommunicative challenges (SCCs). Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 5 to 13 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Autism, Sociocommunicative Challenges
- What is being tested?
- APERS+
- Type of treatment
- Pill or oral medicine, Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 200 participants
- Where
- 1 siteSweden
- Study dates
- 20 Sep 2026to 15 Jun 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 5 to 13 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child
Who may be able to join
- Located within the Stockholm Region
- To have one or more SEUs for preschool class, primary school, or middle school students
- To be enrolled in a SEU in preschool class, primary school, or middle school
- To have a documented formal community diagnosis of autism according to ICD-10, DSM-IV or DSM-5 or having related challenges with social communication and interaction as assessed by school staff and guardians.
Who cannot join
- No exclusion criteria not already mentioned.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Sweden1 site
Stockholm University
Stockholm
Hampus Bejnö, PhD, +468-12076264, hampus.bejno@specped.su.se
Isak Laghem, Doctoral student
About this study
This study assesses the effect of using the Autism Program Environment Rating Scale (APERS) as a tool for providing feedback, in-service training, and coaching to school staff in order to improve program quality in special education units (SEUs) for children with autism or related sociocommunicative challenges (SCCs). APERS is used in its culturally validated Swedish version (APERS-Primary-SE). Using a quasi-randomized parallel-group design, SEUs will be allocated to either an experimental (APERS+) or control (TAU) condition. In the APERS+ condition, school staff receive continuous and systematic feedback provided by trained coaches based on the initial APERS assessment. In the TAU condition, schools will also receive feedback based on the initial APERS assessment, but no continuous coaching.
It is hypothesized that the APERS based intervention will improve overall program quality for children with autism or related SCCs as compared to TAU. Additionally, we also expect the intervention to improve student functioning, students' individual goal attainment, students' perception of their schools, and teacher self-efficacy as compared to TAU.
- Conditions
- Autism, Sociocommunicative Challenges
- Being tested
- APERS+
- Medical subject headings
- Autistic Disorder
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
APERS+Behavioural
APERS assessments with written and oral feedback. Creation of an action plan that is continuously followed up by specially trained coaches weekly or bi-weekly in coaching sessions designed to support the use of evidence-based practices in school settings. Half-day lecture about autism and related SCCs.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Experimental group | Experimental | In the experimental group, labeled APERS+, APERS assessments will be carried out to rate the overall program quality for students with autism/SCCs within the SEUs. These ratings will be made by researchers (PI and doctoral candidate) and a team of specially trained coaches consisting of 5-6 special educators working for the educational administration unit (Utbildningsförvaltningen) of Stockholm Municipality. The SEUs will be provided written and oral feedback based on the ratings
In the APERS+ contingency, the coaches then develop an action plan in order to improve program quality of the SEUs. Staff in the participating SEUs will also participate in a half-day of lectures and workshops about autism and other SCCs. Coaches will lastly provide weekly or bi-weekly coaching sessions in the SEUs based on the action plan to promote program quality and implement evidence-based practices. The intervention for each SEU will last for approximately 7-8 months. Receives: Behavioral: APERS+ |
| Control group | No intervention | In the control group, APERS assessments will also be carried out by researchers and/or coaches. Written and oral feedback will be provided, but no further coaching will be given and no action plan will be created. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change from baseline in autism program quality as assessed with the Swedish Autism Program Environment Rating Scale - Primary school (APERS-Primary-SE)
The APERS-Primary-SE is a rating scale designed to examine primary school program quality for students with autism or related sociocommunicative challenges in Sweden. It contains 10 domains including areas such as students' personal independence and competence, and challenging behaviors. The scale consists of 58 items rated on a five-point Likert scale (1= low quality, 5 = high quality) resulting in individual item scores, subdomain scores, domain scores, and a total score.
Measured: Baseline and about 8 months from baseline
Secondary outcomes (4)
Change from baseline in how students feel about their school as assessed with How I Feel About My School (HIFAMS)
The HIFAMS is a questionnaire designed to assess the happiness and subjective well-being of children in school. It will be completed by all participating children in the study. The questionnaire consists of 8 items where the child is asked how they feel about their school life. The items are scored using a three-point facial Likert scale (sad face, neutral face, happy face). The faces are converted into numerical scores (0-2).
Measured: Baseline and about 8 months from baseline
Change from baseline in parent ratings on their child's bodily functions, activities, and participation and contextual factors as assessed with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Sets for Autism
The ICF Core Sets for Autism is a questionnaire where parents rate their child's functioning. It contains 37 items pertaining bodily functions, activities and participation as well as contextual factors that may affect the child's functioning. Responses are given on a Likert scale ranging from either 0 to 10 (individual factors) or -5 to 5 (contextual factors), where higher ratings indicate higher levels of functioning and/or participation.
Measured: At baseline and 8 months follow-up.
Change in teachers' perceived self-efficacy in supporting students with autism using the Autism Self-Efficacy Scale for Teachers (ASSET)
The Autism Self-Efficacy Scale for Teachers is a questionnaire where teachers rate their perceived self-efficacy in supporting students with autism and related SCCs in their classroom. It consists of 28 items and is rated on a six-point Likert scale from 0 to 5. Higher ratings indicate higher self-efficacy.
Measured: At baseline and 8 months follow-up.
Individual goal attainment as assessed with a Goal Attainment Scale (GAS)
The Goal Attainment Scale is a scale used to support, monitor and assess individual goal attainment in children with autism. Goals are created collaboratively by teachers and coaches at baseline and tailored to each child's individual needs and capacity. Goal attainment is assessed by coaches at follow-up on a five-step Likert scale, where 0 is baseline and 4 is exceeding goals.
Measured: At baseline and 8 months follow-up
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted21 Sep 2026
- Study start20 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion15 Jun 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion15 Jun 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
- Other
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 200 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Stockholm University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Karolinska Institutet
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Hampus Bejno, Stockholm University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07830160
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- VR 2025-04676
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 15 Sep 2026
- Last updated
- 21 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 21 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Improving Autism Program Quality in Special Education Units: The Use of an APERS-based Model to Support Student Learning and Participation
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07830160
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- VR 2025-04676
- Conditions
- Autism, Sociocommunicative Challenges
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 200 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Stockholm UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Karolinska Institutet
- Study start
- 20 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 15 Jun 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 15 Jun 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 21 Sep 2026 (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.
This study assesses the effect of using the Autism Program Environment Rating Scale (APERS) as a tool for providing feedback, in-service training, and coaching to school staff in order to improve program quality in special education units (SEUs) for children with autism or related sociocommunicative challenges (SCCs). APERS is used in its culturally validated Swedish version (APERS-Primary-SE). Using a quasi-randomized parallel-group design, SEUs will be allocated to either an experimental (APERS+) or control (TAU) condition. In the APERS+ condition, school staff receive continuous and systematic feedback provided by trained coaches based on the initial APERS assessment. In the TAU condition, schools will also receive feedback based on the initial APERS assessment, but no continuous coaching.
It is hypothesized that the APERS based intervention will improve overall program quality for children with autism or related SCCs as compared to TAU. Additionally, we also expect the intervention to improve student functioning, students' individual goal attainment, students' perception of their schools, and teacher self-efficacy as compared to TAU.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Experimental group | Experimental | Behavioral: APERS+In the experimental group, labeled APERS+, APERS assessments will be carried out to rate the overall program quality for students with autism/SCCs within the SEUs. These ratings will be made by researchers (PI and doctoral candidate) and a team of specially trained coaches consisting of 5-6 special educators working for the educational administration unit (Utbildningsförvaltningen) of Stockholm Municipality. The SEUs will be provided written and oral feedback based on the ratings In the APERS+ contingency, the coaches then develop an action plan in order to improve program quality of the SEUs. Staff in the participating SEUs will also participate in a half-day of lectures and workshops about autism and other SCCs. Coaches will lastly provide weekly or bi-weekly coaching sessions in the SEUs based on the action plan to promote program quality and implement evidence-based practices. The intervention for each SEU will last for approximately 7-8 months. |
| Control group | No intervention | –In the control group, APERS assessments will also be carried out by researchers and/or coaches. Written and oral feedback will be provided, but no further coaching will be given and no action plan will be created. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 5 to 13 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Located within the Stockholm Region
- To have one or more SEUs for preschool class, primary school, or middle school students
- To be enrolled in a SEU in preschool class, primary school, or middle school
- To have a documented formal community diagnosis of autism according to ICD-10, DSM-IV or DSM-5 or having related challenges with social communication and interaction as assessed by school staff and guardians.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- No exclusion criteria not already mentioned.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| APERS+APERS assessments with written and oral feedback. Creation of an action plan that is continuously followed up by specially trained coaches weekly or bi-weekly in coaching sessions designed to support the use of evidence-based practices in school settings. Half-day lecture about autism and related SCCs. | Behavioural | Experimental group |
Primary outcome
Change from baseline in autism program quality as assessed with the Swedish Autism Program Environment Rating Scale - Primary school (APERS-Primary-SE)
Time frame: Baseline and about 8 months from baseline
The APERS-Primary-SE is a rating scale designed to examine primary school program quality for students with autism or related sociocommunicative challenges in Sweden. It contains 10 domains including areas such as students' personal independence and competence, and challenging behaviors. The scale consists of 58 items rated on a five-point Likert scale (1= low quality, 5 = high quality) resulting in individual item scores, subdomain scores, domain scores, and a total score.
4 secondary outcomes
Change from baseline in how students feel about their school as assessed with How I Feel About My School (HIFAMS)
Time frame: Baseline and about 8 months from baseline
Change from baseline in parent ratings on their child's bodily functions, activities, and participation and contextual factors as assessed with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Sets for Autism
Time frame: At baseline and 8 months follow-up.
Change in teachers' perceived self-efficacy in supporting students with autism using the Autism Self-Efficacy Scale for Teachers (ASSET)
Time frame: At baseline and 8 months follow-up.
Individual goal attainment as assessed with a Goal Attainment Scale (GAS)
Time frame: At baseline and 8 months follow-up
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 21 Sep 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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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.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing APERS+ in people with Autism and Sociocommunicative Challenges, run by Stockholm University at 1 site in Sweden.
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 4 inclusion and 1 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: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 21 Sep 2026. 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 Sweden. 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 Hampus Bejnö, PhD (+46(0)8-12076264, hampus.bejno@specped.su.se), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change from baseline in autism program quality as assessed with the Swedish Autism Program Environment Rating Scale - Primary school (APERS-Primary-SE) (time frame: Baseline and about 8 months from baseline). 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 21 Sep 2026.