Choice Switching and Autism

Completed

• Conditions: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• Interventions: Diagnostic Test: Pre-screening; Behavioral: Task session

• Registration Number: NCT04631432
• Lead Sponsor: Technion, Israel Institute of Technology

Brief Summary

The study aims to replicate and clarify a recently observed phenomenon whereby individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) switch between options in a repeated task to a greater extent than healthy controls do. In a meta-analysis a large effect size was found (.37) yet because the effect was noisy in different studies it was not statistically significant. The investigators seek to first examine a very large population through an Internet mediated platform. The sample size will be about the size of all of the previous studies that examined this issue together. Secondly, the investigators wish to understand the discrepancy between this choice switching phenomenon and the recorded tendency of ASD individuals to avoid changing choices. First, the investigators will administer the task in which the effect was found (the Iowa Gambling task) for a longer duration than previously and evaluate whether ASD individuals show increased choice switching in the first blocks of trials but reduced switching following more experience. Secondly, the investigators will administer an additional block of trials without feedback in which participants will not be able to go through a learning process. The investigators predict that this will reduce (and possible flip) the tendency of individuals with ASD to switch choices more often.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2020-11-04
• Study First Submitted QC: 2020-11-10
• Study First Posted: 2020-11-17
• Study Start: 2021-01-01
• Primary Completion: 2021-08-13
• Study Completion: 2021-09-13
• Status Verified: 2022-04
• Last Update Submitted: 2022-04-26
• Last Update Posted: 2022-04-27

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 114

Inclusion Criteria

• ASD group - Diagnosed with ASD
• Control - No ASD diagnosis: within age and education range of the ASD group.

Exclusion Criteria

• Demographics: Under 18 years of age.
• Mental health: self reported brain injury and neurological disorder (besides autism).

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Study participation	Pre-screening	All participants will complete the same protocol
Study participation	Task session	All participants will complete the same protocol

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Mean run size	Through study completion, an average of 1 year	Number of consecutive selections from the same deck (across trials and in different blocks).
Advantageous selections	Through study completion, an average of 1 year	Percentage of advantageous selections(across trials and in different blocks).

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Technion, Israel Institute of Technology; 🇮🇱 Haifa, Israel