Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27760533›Full record

Trial reportBMC pediatrics2016

Randomised controlled trial of an iPad based early intervention for autism: TOBY playpad study protocol.

Joanna Granich, Alena Dass, Margherita Busacca, Dennis Moore, Angelika Anderson, Svetha Venkatesh, Thi Duong, Pratibha Vellanki, Amanda Richdale, David Trembath and 5 more

Open access · goldAbstract readRandomized Controlled TrialPragmatic Clinical Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC pediatrics, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.3field-weighted citation impact, top 20% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 21 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors at 7 institutions in 1 country.

Joanna GranichTelethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia. joanna.granich@telethonkids.org.au.
Alena DassTelethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
Margherita BusaccaKrongold Centre, Faculty of Education, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
Dennis MooreKrongold Centre, Faculty of Education, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
Angelika AndersonKrongold Centre, Faculty of Education, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
Svetha VenkateshCentre for Pattern Recognition and Data Analytics (PRaDA), Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
Thi DuongCentre for Pattern Recognition and Data Analytics (PRaDA), Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
Pratibha VellankiCentre for Pattern Recognition and Data Analytics (PRaDA), Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
Amanda RichdaleOlga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Australia.
David TrembathMenzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia.
Darin CairnsThe Charles Street Clinic, North Perth, Australia.
Wendy MarshallAutism West, Mosman Park, Australia.
Tania RodwellAutism West, Mosman Park, Australia.
Madeleine RaynerTelethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
Andrew J O WhitehouseTelethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
Deakin University · AUMonash University · AUThe Kids Research Institute Australia · AUAutism CRC · AUGriffith University · AULa Trobe University · AUUniversity of Western Australia · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEvidence for early intensive behavioural interventions (EIBI) by therapists as an effective treatment for children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is growing. High-intensity and sustained delivery of quality EIBI is expensive. The TOBY (Therapy Outcomes by You) Playpad is an App-based platform delivering EIBI to facilitate learning for young children with ASD, while enabling parents to become co-therapists. Intervention targets include increasing joint attention, imitation and communication of children with ASD. The primary aim of the study presented in this protocol is to determine the effectiveness of the TOBY App in reducing ASD symptoms when used as a complement to conventional EIBI. The secondary aim is to examine parental attributes as a result of TOBY App use. METHODS AND

designChildren aged less than 4;3 years diagnosed with ASD and parents will be recruited into this single-blind, randomised controlled trial using a pragmatic approach. Eligible participants will be randomised to the treatment group 'TOBY therapy + therapy as usual' or, the control group 'therapy as usual' for six months. The treatment will be provided by the TOBY App and parent where a combination of learning environments such as on-iPad child only (solo), partner (with parent) and off-iPad - Natural Environment (with parent) Tasks will be implemented. Parents in the treatment group will participate in a TOBY training workshop. Treatment fidelity will be monitored via an App-based reporting system and parent diaries. The primary outcome measure is the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist. The secondary outcome measures involve diagnostics, functional and developmental assessments, including parent questionnaires at baseline (T0), three months (T1) and six months (T2). DISCUSSION: This trial will determine the effectiveness of the TOBY App as a therapeutic complement to other early interventions children with ASD receive. The trial will also determine the feasibility of a parent delivered early intervention using the iPad as an educational platform, and assess the impact of the TOBY App on parents' self-efficacy and empowerment in an effort to reduce children's ASD symptoms. The outcomes of this trial may have EIBI services implications for newly diagnosed children with ASD and parents.

trial registrationACTRN12614000738628 retrospectively registered on 1

Indexed as

Computers, HandheldMobile ApplicationsAttitude to HealthAutism Spectrum DisorderBehavior TherapyChild, PreschoolClinical ProtocolsEarly Intervention, EducationalFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansInfantMaleParentsResearch DesignSingle-Blind MethodAppAutism spectrum disorderChildrenEarly therapyInterventioniPadParentsTechnologyTOBYTreatment

Identifiers

PMID27760533
PMCPMC5069784
OpenAlexW2532696781

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.