Montclair

This research aims to understand how brain activity relates to anxiety symptoms in autistic youth aged 8 to 14 from underserved communities. It investigates whether changes in brain activity align with improvements in anxiety after a cognitive behavioral therapy called Facing Your Fears FYF. The study also explores how brain activity connects with other anxiety-related factors such as handling uncertainty and managing emotions. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group receives the FYF intervention immediately, which is a 12-14 week outpatient group therapy involving weekly 90-minute sessions for autistic youth and their caregivers. The other group continues their usual treatment during a waitlist period and can participate in the FYF program afterward. The FYF program focuses on psychoeducation and cognitive behavioral techniques to help manage anxiety. Throughout the study, participants will undergo assessments including brain activity measurements using EEG, anxiety symptom questionnaires completed by youth and parents, and other tools measuring behavior and emotional regulation. These assessments occur before treatment and within two weeks after the intervention ends. Researchers will also monitor treatment adherence during each session. The total participation spans up to approximately 14 weeks from the first intervention session.

This research aims to determine if perceptual training improves speech perception and production outcomes in children with Residual Speech Sound Disorders RSSD. It investigates whether initial speech production accuracy predicts how well treatment works and how perceptual ability affects the success of perception-first versus production-first interventions. The trial compares two treatment orders to see if the sequence influences speech improvement, focusing on participants initial abilities. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups delivered via telepractice a group receiving Treatment as Usual TAU plus perception-first training, or a group receiving TAU first. Randomization is carefully balanced based on initial speech production and perception accuracy, categorizing children into high or low accuracy groups. Treatments include visual acoustic biofeedback, which uses real-time speech signal displays to help adjust articulation, and computerized perceptual training involving auditory tasks with feedback. Children will complete pre-treatment evaluations to assess their speech and perception skills. During the study, researchers will measure changes in the accuracy of producing the r sound, along with perception accuracy and socio-emotional well-being. Assessments will occur at baseline, after 4 weeks of visual acoustic biofeedback, and after 12 weeks of treatment. The trial involves telepractice sessions, clinician-rated baselines, and continuous monitoring to understand treatment effects on speech sound accuracy.

This research aims to evaluate the Shield blood tests performance for colorectal cancer CRC screening in people aged 45 to 81 who are at average risk for CRC. The study focuses on assessing the test during a second round of screening, using colonoscopy as the reference standard. CRC is a common and serious disease, especially affecting older adults and certain minority groups, with early detection being key to improving outcomes. Participants will undergo the Shield blood test as part of their routine standard care, and their results will be compared to colonoscopy findings. This study is observational and collects real-world evidence over a period of 33 to 42 months after enrollment to assess how well the Shield test performs in detecting CRC or its precursors during the second screening interval. Participants will be involved in scheduled study procedures and standard care assessments, with data collected on the tests accuracy and effectiveness over time. The main outcome measured is the performance of the Shield test during the second testing period. The study will continue until December 2030, monitoring participants to gather long-term information about CRC screening efficacy in an average-risk population.