Additional identifiers
EudraCT number
ClinicalTrials.gov number
Protocol/serial number
TGT 4/TGT39
Study information
Scientific title
Acronym
Study hypothesis
Training in PECS will result in significant increases in rate of use of PECS symbols, rate of social initiations, and scores on language tests.
Ethics approval
Not provided at time of registration
Study design
Randomised controlled trial
Primary study design
Interventional
Secondary study design
Randomised controlled trial
Trial setting
Other
Trial type
Treatment
Patient information sheet
Condition
Autism
Intervention
Intervention: Training children to use the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) in schools.
It is a randomized group trial of immediate intervention, versus delayed intervention, versus no intervention (assessment only).
Intervention type
Other
Phase
Not Specified
Drug names
Primary outcome measure
Increase in use of PECS symbols; increase in rates of social initiations
Secondary outcome measures
Increase in scores on tests of language expression and comprehension (Expressive One Word Picture Vocabulary Test, & British Picture Vocabulary Scale)
Overall trial start date
01/01/2003
Overall trial end date
31/12/2005
Reason abandoned (if study stopped)
Eligibility
Participant inclusion criteria
Children meeting diagnositc criteria for autism; aged 5-9 years; enrolled in full-time, specialist education; either no spoken language or expressive language limited to single words; not using PECS beyoind Stage 1.
Participant type
Patient
Age group
Child
Gender
Both
Target number of participants
90
Participant exclusion criteria
No exclusion criteria with regard to IQ, social class, ethnicity etc.
Recruitment start date
01/01/2003
Recruitment end date
31/12/2005
Locations
Countries of recruitment
United Kingdom
Trial participating centre
Dept of Community Health Sciences
London
SW17 0RE
United Kingdom
Sponsor information
Organisation
St George's University of London (UK)
Sponsor details
Tooting
London
SW17 0RE
United Kingdom
+44 (0)208 725 5604
phowlin@sgul.ac.uk
Sponsor type
University/education
Website
Funders
Funder type
Charity
Funder name
Three Guineas Trust (UK)
Alternative name(s)
Funding Body Type
Funding Body Subtype
Location
Results and Publications
Publication and dissemination plan
Not provided at time of registration
Intention to publish date
Participant level data
Not provided at time of registration
Basic results (scientific)
Publication list
2007 results in http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17501728
Publication citations
-
Results
Howlin P, Gordon RK, Pasco G, Wade A, Charman T, The effectiveness of Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) training for teachers of children with autism: a pragmatic, group randomised controlled trial., J Child Psychol Psychiatry, 2007, 48, 5, 473-481, doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2006.01707.x.