Compared Effectiveness of a Short Computer-based Emotion Recognition Training in Conduct Disorder and Autistic Spectrum Disorder Patients
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Sponsor
- Prof. Christina Stadler
- Enrollment
- 80
- Primary Endpoint
- Change in choices in Social decision-making task
- Last Updated
- 5 years ago
Overview
Brief Summary
Emotion recognition and regulation are necessary skills for social interaction. Disrupted development of these processes severely interferes with socio-emotional development. These difficulties are commonly reported in patients with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Conduct Disorder (CD), with the subsequent social/interpersonal difficulties. The available evidence suggest that impaired emotion regulation processes might underlie the aggressive behaviours frequently observed in both disorders. However, no study has yet investigated the presence of disorder-specific characteristics on emotion processing between these two disorders. Different impaired emotion recognition difficulties may underlie the reported emotion dysregulation. A practical implication of this is that given that both disorders have shown difficulties during emotion recognition processes, a short, computer-based intervention to improve emotion recognition might benefit both cases, even though their aetiologies might differ.
Detailed Description
For ASD patients, studies training facial emotion recognition have focused on increasing the active attention to the eye region, re-directing attention to facial features to facilitate facial emotion recognition. Evidence shows positive results using computer-based emotion recognition training programs with young children and adolescents with ASD. It has also been recently suggested that emotion recognition training may be a suitable intervention for patients with CD. This would be supported by some preliminary evidence in patients with severe behavioural problems, young offenders and patients with CD + CU Traits. The overall goal of this project is to investigate the compared impact of an emotion recognition training in patients with ASD or CD. This goal can be subdivided into three separate subgoals: a) identify whether the training program is effective; b) identify whether the training program has differentiated or comparable effects between both patients groups and c) investigate individual characteristics that may help identify those individuals who would benefit most from the intervention. This information is crucial to inform the design of more efficient treatments to differentially address the specific deficits associated to the disorders.
Investigators
Prof. Christina Stadler
Head Psychologist, Clinical Professor, Clinic for Children and Adolescents
University Psychiatric Clinics Basel
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •Diagnosis: ASD or CD
- •German speaking
- •Age: 10-18
Exclusion Criteria
- •Comorbid Anxiety or Depressive disorder diagnosis
- •Insufficient German language skills
- •Severe developmental disorders
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Change in choices in Social decision-making task
Time Frame: Change in choices before and after the emotion recognition training, after 1 month (pre/post measure)
The proportion of choices that maximise their self-gain for each of the facial emotions shown
Change in performance accuracy in Geneva Emotion Recognition Test (GERT)
Time Frame: Change in performance before and after the emotion recognition training, after 1 month (pre/post measure)
Percentage of accuracy to stimuli showing facial emotions
Change in performance response times in Geneva Emotion Recognition Test (GERT)
Time Frame: Change in performance before and after the emotion recognition training, after 1 month (pre/post measure)
Response times to stimuli showing facial emotions
Change in performance reaction times in Social decision-making task
Time Frame: Change in Performance before and after the emotion recognition training, after 1 month (pre/post measure)
Reaction times for each of the facial emotions shown