Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38741221›Full record

ArticleBMC psychology2024

Enhancing Pragmatic Language skills for Young children with Social communication difficulties (E-PLAYS-2) trial: study protocol for a cluster-randomised controlled trial evaluating a computerised intervention to promote communicative development and collaborative skills in young children.

Suzanne Murphy, Kerry Bell, Erica Jane Cook, Sarah Crafter, Rosemary Davidson, Caroline Fairhurst, Kate Hicks, Victoria Joffe, David Messer, Lyn Robinson-Smith and 3 more

Abstract readClinical Trial Protocol
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC psychology, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

13 authors.

Suzanne MurphyUniversity of Bedfordshire, University Square, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU1 3JU, UK. Suzanne.murphy@beds.ac.uk.
Kerry BellYork Trials Unit, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
Erica Jane CookUniversity of Bedfordshire, University Square, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU1 3JU, UK.
Sarah CrafterOpen University, Walton Hall, Kents Hill, Milton Keynes, Milton, MK7 6AA, UK.
Rosemary DavidsonUniversity of Bedfordshire, University Square, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU1 3JU, UK.
Caroline FairhurstYork Trials Unit, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
Kate HicksYork Trials Unit, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
Victoria JoffeUniversity of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK.
David MesserOpen University, Walton Hall, Kents Hill, Milton Keynes, Milton, MK7 6AA, UK.
Lyn Robinson-SmithYork Trials Unit, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
Luke StrachanYork Trials Unit, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
David TorgersonYork Trials Unit, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
Charlie WelchYork Trials Unit, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK.

Funding

National Institute of Health Research NIHR131745
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundA number of children experience difficulties with social communication and this has long-term deleterious effects on their mental health, social development and education. The E-PLAYS-2 study will test an intervention ('E-PLAYS') aimed at supporting such children. E-PLAYS uses a dyadic computer game to develop collaborative and communication skills. Preliminary studies by the authors show that E-PLAYS can produce improvements in children with social communication difficulties on communication test scores and observed collaborative behaviours. The study described here is a definitive trial to test the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of E-PLAYS delivered by teaching assistants in schools.

methodsThe aim of the E-PLAYS-2 trial is to establish the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of care as usual plus the E-PLAYS programme, delivered in primary schools, compared to care as usual. Cluster-randomisation will take place at school level to avoid contamination. The E-PLAYS intervention will be delivered by schools' teaching assistants. Teachers will select suitable children (ages 5-7 years old) from their schools using guidelines provided by the research team. Assessments will include blinded language measures and observations (conducted by the research team), non-blinded teacher-reported measures of peer relations and classroom behaviour and parent-reported use of resources and quality of life. A process evaluation will also include interviews with parents, children and teaching assistants, observations of intervention delivery and a survey of care as usual. The primary analysis will compare pragmatic language scores for children who received the E-PLAYS intervention versus those who did not at 40 weeks post-randomisation. Secondary analyses will assess cost-effectiveness and a mixed methods process evaluation will provide richer data on the delivery of E-PLAYS. DISCUSSION: The aim of this study is to undertake a final, definitive test of the effectiveness of E-PLAYS when delivered by teaching assistants within schools. The use of technology in game form is a novel approach in an area where there are currently few available interventions. Should E-PLAYS prove to be effective at the end of this trial, we believe it is likely to be welcomed by schools, parents and children.

trial registrationISRCTN 17561417, registration date 19th December 2022. PROTOCOL VERSION: v1.1 19th June 2023.

Indexed as

Cooperative BehaviorChildChild, PreschoolCommunicationCost-Benefit AnalysisFemaleHumansMaleRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicSocial Communication DisorderCommunication impairmentComputer gameFeasibility studyPeer collaborationPragmatic languageRandomised controlled trialSocial communicationYoung children

Identifiers

PMID38741221
PMCPMC11090787

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Registered trials

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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.