App for Strengthening Services In Specialized Therapeutic Support

Not Applicable

Completed

Conditions: Autism Spectrum Disorder

Interventions: Behavioral: Behavioral economics strategies
Other: Electronic platform

Registration Number: NCT05207956

Lead Sponsor: University of Pennsylvania

Brief Summary: In partnership with a digital health software company, the University research team created two versions of a mobile application to help behavioral health technicians (BHT's) who work with students with autism collect data. The first version comprises a basic electronic platform for data collection. The second version has the same basic electronic platform for data collection, plus additional features designed to increase motivation to collect data and ease the burden of data collection.

Detailed Description: Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: COMPLETED

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 27

Inclusion Criteria

Participants must be working as a paraprofessionals or behavioral health technicians
Currently providing individual support to children with autism
Currently providing services in Philadelphia preschools, schools, day cares, or homes.

Exclusion Criteria

Study & Design

Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL

Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Enhanced Electronic Platform	Behavioral economics strategies	A basic electronic platform for data collection that contains additional features designed to increase motivation to collect data and ease of data collection.
Electronic Platform Not Enhanced	Electronic platform	A basic electronic platform for data collection.
Enhanced Electronic Platform	Electronic platform	A basic electronic platform for data collection that contains additional features designed to increase motivation to collect data and ease of data collection.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
The Difference in Data Collection Consistency Between Groups Across Three Weeks	Three-week trial period	Consistency was the percentage of intervals in which aides entered data per session with children during each school day, across a three week period. These metrics were captured via web analytics in partnership with our digital health company.
The Difference in Data Collection Completion Between Groups Across Three Weeks	Three-week trial period	Consistency was the percentage of intervals in which aides entered data per session with children during each school day, across a three week period. These metrics were captured via web analytics in partnership with our digital health company.
The Difference in Data Collection Timeliness Between Groups Across Three Weeks	Three-week trial period	Consistency was the percentage of intervals in which aides entered data per session with children during each school day, across a three week period. These metrics were captured via web analytics in partnership with our digital health company.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Intentions for Implementors	Assessed at baseline and end of 3-week trial period	We adapted scales to measure mechanisms affecting data collection, including intentions, using social psychology methods (Armitage \& Connor, 2001). The intentions measure had one item, which was rated from 1=strongly disagree to 7=strongly agree. Strongly agree meant stronger intentions to take data. Aides completed measures at baseline and post-trial (3 weeks). Data reported are changes over time.
System Usability Scale	Three-week trial period	We used the System Usability Scale (SUS; Brooke, 1996) to measure aides' reactions to various statements regarding the app's usability with 10 items that use a 5-point scale from (1) strongly disagree to (5) strongly agree. The SUS has high internal consistent reliability (Cronbach's alpha = .91) and demonstrated sensitivity to change (Lewis, 2018). We adapted the original questionnaire to replace "system" with "app" across all items. The SUS is calculated as a proportion score out of 100, with higher scores indicating higher usability (≥85 = Excellent; ≥71 = Good; ≥51 = Okay (Bangor et al.).
Attitudes for Implementors	Assessed at baseline and end of 3-week trial period	We adapted scales to measure mechanisms affecting data collection, including attitudes, using social psychology methods (Armitage \& Connor, 2001). The attitudes measure had one item, which was rated from 1=good to 7=bad (meaning that taking data would be bad). Attitudes had 2 items. These items were averaged to create the scale score which could range from 1 to 7 for each measure. Aides completed measures at baseline and post-trial (3 weeks). Data reported are changes over time.
Perceived Norms for Implementors	Assessed at baseline and end of 3-week trial period	We adapted scales to measure mechanisms affecting data collection, including perceived norms, using social psychology methods (Armitage \& Connor, 2001). The perceived norms measure had one item, which was rated from 1=strongly disagree to 7=strongly agree. Strongly agree meant stronger influence of norms on taking data. Aides completed measures at baseline and post-trial (3 weeks). Data reported are changes over time.
Descriptive Norms for Implementors	Assessed at baseline and end of 3-week trial period	We adapted scales to measure mechanisms affecting data collection, including descriptive norms, using social psychology methods (Armitage \& Connor, 2001). The perceived norms measure had one item, which was rated from 1=strongly disagree to 7=strongly agree. Strongly agree meant stronger influence of norms on taking data. Aides completed measures at baseline and post-trial (3 weeks). Data reported are changes over time.
Self-Efficacy for Implementors	Assessed at baseline and end of 3-week trial period	We adapted scales to measure mechanisms affecting data collection, including self-efficacy, using social psychology methods (Armitage \& Connor, 2001). The self-efficacy measure had one item, which was rated from 1=strongly disagree to 7=strongly agree. Strongly agree meant stronger self-efficacy about taking data. Self-Efficacy had 2 items. These items were averaged to create the scale score which could range from 1 to 7 for each measure. Aides completed measures at baseline and post-trial (3 weeks). Data reported are changes over time.