Learning Disorder

Researchers are evaluating an early behavioral intervention program for toddlers aged 16 to 48 months who are waiting to receive a formal autism diagnosis. The study aims to address delays in autism diagnosis and intervention by offering caregivers access to a self-directed online training resource during the waitlist period. This approach seeks to empower parents to support their childrens development early, potentially reducing the harms associated with waiting for diagnosis and intervention services. Participants will be randomly assigned to either receive access to the Online Parent Training in Early Behavioral Intervention OPT-In-Early program or be placed on a waitlist without intervention for six months. The OPT-In-Early program includes 14 modules 6 mandatory and 8 optional with text and video materials teaching caregivers strategies to improve language, social, and adaptive skills and reduce disruptive behaviors. Parents can also schedule brief support calls with a clinician for guidance during the intervention period. After six months, waitlist participants will gain access to the program, but outcomes will not be measured for them. Throughout the study, caregivers complete assessments including individualized goal setting with video recordings to capture their childs current skills and progress. Standardized measures of adaptive behavior, parental stress, and autism-related challenges are collected at baseline and after six months. Researchers will monitor program engagement using website usage data and support call frequency. The primary outcome is change in goal attainment as measured by Goal Attainment Scaling, with additional measures assessing adaptive functioning and parental well-being. The total participation time is six months, during which families receive ongoing support and data collection.

Researchers are investigating the use of 3D resin printed models in anatomy education, focusing on how fractured bone models affect students decision-making and quiz results. This study aims to evaluate the practicality of these high-quality, detailed resin models compared to standard anatomical models, enhancing hands-on training for wrist fracture rehabilitation. The research is sponsored by Abant Izzet Baysal University and targets educational problems related to anatomical pathological conditions. Participants will receive a 60-minute theoretical lesson on wrist anatomy and fracture pathophysiology. Then, they are randomly assigned to one of two groups one practices with 3D resin printed fractured wrist models, while the other uses standard anatomical wrist models. Both groups have 2-hour practical sessions scheduled during morning hours to reduce fatigue. The study compares the effectiveness of learning with these two types of models. During the study, participants undergo various assessments including a one-hour clinical test as the primary outcome. Secondary measures include academic motivation, test anxiety, and ease of use questionnaires, each taking about one hour. The study involves training sessions, practical handling of models, and evaluations to understand educational impact. The total study duration and follow-up details are as scheduled by the research team, concluding by October 30, 2025.

Researchers are studying a 12-week early intervention program designed for preschool children with developmental disorders, including Autism Spectrum Disorder, neurogenetic disorders, or intellectual disability. The goal is to evaluate how this program helps improve social communication skills in these children by comparing changes in social responsiveness and related behaviors before and after treatment. The intervention involves 12 hours per week over 12 weeks, delivered either in an intensive center-based preschool setting or at home. This behavioral program focuses on structured activities aimed at addressing social communication deficits in young children with developmental disorders. Participants will be assessed at the start and end of the 12-week program using parent-rated questionnaires measuring social responsiveness, repetitive behaviors, social dimensions, adaptive behaviors, sensory profiles, and self-efficacy. The study tracks changes in these areas to understand the programs effects, with continued monitoring until the studys completion in 2034. Children and their families will engage regularly in the intervention and assessments during this period.

Researchers are investigating the effects of the PAX Good Behavior Game GBG in Swedish primary schools to address growing concerns of mental health issues among children and stress-related symptoms in teachers. This cluster-randomized controlled trial involves 28 schools and about 84 teachers, aiming to improve student well-being and reduce teacher stress. The study compares PAX GBG to active control interventions that also provide teacher training but with different content. The trial includes extensive measurements over two years, including self-assessments, classroom observations, sound level monitoring, sick leave data, and qualitative interviews. Teachers randomized to the PAX GBG group receive a two-day training on ten specific tools designed to promote prosocial and focused behaviors in classrooms, including a team-based game rewarding good behavior. Control schools choose between two alternatives Count On Me, a math fluency application for pupils, or a Collegial Learning Community intervention focused on professional development for teachers. Both groups receive similar amounts of training and supervision, including multiple sessions during the school year. The interventions are integrated into regular classroom activities starting in grade 1 through grade 3. Participants include approximately 2200 pupils and their teachers, with data collected through various methods such as questionnaires, standardized tests, observer ratings, and registry data. Measurements occur at multiple time points over two years, focusing on pupil well-being, teacher stress, classroom behavior, noise levels, and implementation fidelity. The study also evaluates cost-effectiveness by comparing health outcomes and related expenses. Safety and adverse events are monitored through teacher reports and interviews, ensuring comprehensive assessment of the interventions impact.

Adults with intellectual disabilities often face challenges in social situations due to difficulties in processing social information, especially in recognizing facial emotions. This research evaluates a cognitive remediation program called Re9habilitus, designed to improve attentional and visuospatial functions to reduce behavioral disorders in adults with intellectual disabilities who do not have autism spectrum disorder. The study aims to validate whether this program can help address specific cognitive and behavioral issues in daily life for this population. Participants are randomly assigned to either the Re9habilitus cognitive remediation program, which focuses on improving attention and spatial perception related to social behavior, or to a control group engaging in manual activities and computer-based research tasks. The study compares these two approaches to assess their effects on behavioral disorders and cognitive functions. During the study, participants are assessed on changes in hyperactivity and non-compliance behaviors using the Aberrant Behavior Checklist scale over six months. Researchers also measure improvements in facial emotion recognition and attentional functions at the start, end, and six months after the intervention. The total participation time and safety monitoring details are aligned with the evaluation periods, ensuring thorough follow-up to observe lasting effects.

Researchers are exploring how difficulties with learning sequences of sounds and grammar are connected in children with developmental language disorder DLD, also called specific language impairment. This study focuses on three types of language patternsSingle Feature, ORDisjunction, and Family ResemblancePrototypeand investigates how children with DLD, speech sound disorder SSD, and typical development respond to these patterns. The goal is to better understand the underlying causes of DLD and improve early diagnosis and treatment options. The study also considers whether adding meaning cues can help children learn language patterns more effectively. The study involves children aged 4 to 8 who will be randomly assigned to different groups to test sensitivity to these phonological patterns and the effect of semantic category cues. Participants will practice naming new words that match or do not match these patterns while researchers measure how accurately and consistently they produce sounds. Groups include children with DLD with or without SSD, children with SSD alone, and typically developing children. The study also evaluates whether semantic cues improve learning of challenging patterns. Children will complete extensive testing including language assessments, hearing and oral structure checks, and autism screening to confirm eligibility. During sessions, researchers will measure speech accuracy, variability in articulation and acoustics, and response to semantic cues. These measures help track how well children learn and generalize language patterns. The study lasts about 30 minutes per assessment and aims to provide insights that support new intervention strategies for children with DLD and related speech disorders.

Researchers are evaluating a group intervention called Lev-g, designed to promote healthy habits in individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders or those closely related to children with disabilities. This brief, transdiagnostic, interprofessional program addresses health-related habits that influence mental and physical health, aiming to provide a usable model across various healthcare settings in Sweden. The study focuses on understanding the feasibility, acceptability, and potential effects of this intervention in improving health behaviors. Lev-g consists of three group sessions plus a booster session, employing psychoeducation, motivational interviewing, and applied behavioral analyses. The group format aims to provide peer support and sharing of tips among participants. There is no control group, as this trial tests the feasibility of the intervention. The program is delivered in healthcare settings and is intended for adults aged 15 to 80. Participants will be assessed for completion rates, satisfaction, treatment credibility, adverse events, and goal achievement throughout and after the intervention. Evaluations include questionnaires for both participants and healthcare workers at multiple time points up to 3 to 4 months. Researchers will measure well-being, self-efficacy, and changes in health-related habits, tracking progress from baseline through the booster session. The study is expected to conclude by early 2027.

Researchers are investigating the use of transcranial direct current stimulation tDCS combined with cognitive training to address symptoms in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder ASD. ASD is characterized by challenges in communication, social skills, repetitive behaviors, and emotional distress triggered by environmental changes. This study aims to determine if baseline resting-state EEG and clinical data can predict which individuals respond to tDCS treatment, helping to improve intervention strategies. Participants will receive active tDCS over 10 sessions during two weeks, with one session per day on consecutive working days. Each session includes 20 minutes of tDCS combined with an online cognitive training program consisting of five exercises targeting information processing speed and executive function. After treatment, participants will be classified as responders or non-responders based on changes in social responsiveness scores. During the study, assessments will measure changes in social communication and repetitive behaviors using the Social Responsiveness Scale, cognitive function through various CANTAB tests, and neurophysiological measures at the start and immediately after the intervention. Researchers will monitor behavioral changes and executive function outcomes to evaluate the impact of the combined treatment over the study period ending in 2026.

Researchers are evaluating a 12-week home-based mobile health mHealth intervention called the Shining Star study, aimed at improving adherence to the 24-Hour Movement Guidelines among preschool-aged children 3-4 years old who currently meet zero or one of the guidelines for physical activity, screen time, and sleep. The trial seeks to determine if the intervention increases the number of children meeting all three guidelines and if the program is feasible for parents to implement. This randomized controlled trial compares an intervention group using the app to a waitlist control group. Participants in the intervention group will use the Shining Star mobile app, which delivers weekly lessons and behavior-related goals through concise messages, gamification features, behavior trackers, and a parent forum. The control group will receive no intervention during the initial 12 weeks but will complete the same assessments as the intervention group. After 12 weeks, control group participants will gain access to the app and resources. Physical activity and sleep will be tracked with accelerometers, and parents will complete questionnaires. Childrens physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep patterns will be assessed at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks using accelerometers. Parents will provide feedback on their childs movement behaviors, development, and app usability through questionnaires and weekly surveys. Additional measures include motor skills tests, cognition assessments, behavioral problems, executive function, and BMI. Data will be securely stored and analyzed to evaluate the interventions impact and app feasibility over the 12-week period.

Researchers are investigating the effects of a multidomain lifestyle intervention to slow cognitive decline and dementia risk in elderly residents aged 60 to 80 in Zhejiang Province, China. The study builds on findings from Finland, where a similar approach combining physical activity, nutrition, cognitive training, social activities, and vascular risk management showed promise in healthy older adults at risk of cognitive decline. This trial aims to explore how such an intervention may change brain structure and function as well as cognitive abilities in an Asian population. Participants are randomly assigned to either a structured multidomain intervention group or a self-guided control group. The intervention group receives tailored nutritional guidance, cognitive training, physical exercises, and vascular risk monitoring, all adapted to Chinese cultural norms. The control group receives regular health education campaigns and basic health monitoring every 6 to 12 months. This trial runs for two years with ongoing assessments to evaluate the impact of these lifestyle changes. During the study, participants undergo various evaluations including cognitive tests measuring global and domain-specific cognition, neuroimaging scans like MRI and fMRI, laboratory blood tests, and physical performance measures such as grip strength and gait speed. Questionnaires assess quality of life, depression, sleep quality, and daily activities. Researchers also monitor cardiovascular health, dementia onset, and falls. This comprehensive monitoring will help determine the interventions effects on brain health and daily functioning over the 24-month period.