Evaluating 'Enhancing Pragmatic Language skills for Young children with Social communication impairments' (E-PLAYS): a feasibility cluster-randomised controlled trial.

Communication impairment Computer game Feasibility study Peer collaboration Pragmatic language Randomised controlled trial Social communication Young children

Journal

Pilot and feasibility studies
ISSN: 2055-5784
Titre abrégé: Pilot Feasibility Stud
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101676536

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
04 Jan 2021
Historique:
received: 20 03 2020
accepted: 10 11 2020
entrez: 4 1 2021
pubmed: 5 1 2021
medline: 5 1 2021
Statut: epublish

Résumé

This article reports the results from a feasibility study of an intervention ('E-PLAYS') aimed at supporting children who experience difficulties with social communication. E-PLAYS is based around a dyadic computer game, which aims to develop collaborative and communication skills. A pilot study found that when E-PLAYS was delivered by researchers, improvements on communication test scores and on collaborative behaviours were observed. The aim of this study was to ascertain the feasibility of running a full-scale trial to test the effectiveness of E-PLAYS in a National Health Service (NHS) setting with delivery by speech and language therapists and teaching assistants. The study was a two-arm feasibility cluster-randomised controlled trial of the E-PLAYS intervention with a treatment as usual control arm. Data relating to recruitment and retention, treatment fidelity, acceptability to participants, suitability of outcomes and feasibility of collecting health economic measures and of determining cost-effectiveness were collected. Speech and language therapists selected suitable children (ages 4-7 years old) from their caseload. E-PLAYS intervention (experimental group) was then delivered by teaching assistants overseen by speech and language therapists. The control group received usual care. Assessments included blinded language measures and observations, non-blinded teacher-reported measures of peer relations and classroom behaviour and non-blinded parent-reported use of health and education resources and quality of life. Planned recruitment was for 70 children, in the event, 50 children were recruited which was sufficient for feasibility purposes. E-PLAYS was very highly rated by children, teaching assistants and speech and language therapists and treatment fidelity did not pose any issues. We were able to collect health economic data which suggests that E-PLAYS would be a low-cost intervention. Based on recruitment, retention and adherence rates and our outcome measures, a full-scale randomised controlled trial estimated appears feasible and warranted to assess the effectiveness of E-PLAYS for use by the NHS and schools. ISRCTN 14818949 (retrospectively registered).

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
This article reports the results from a feasibility study of an intervention ('E-PLAYS') aimed at supporting children who experience difficulties with social communication. E-PLAYS is based around a dyadic computer game, which aims to develop collaborative and communication skills. A pilot study found that when E-PLAYS was delivered by researchers, improvements on communication test scores and on collaborative behaviours were observed. The aim of this study was to ascertain the feasibility of running a full-scale trial to test the effectiveness of E-PLAYS in a National Health Service (NHS) setting with delivery by speech and language therapists and teaching assistants.
METHODS METHODS
The study was a two-arm feasibility cluster-randomised controlled trial of the E-PLAYS intervention with a treatment as usual control arm. Data relating to recruitment and retention, treatment fidelity, acceptability to participants, suitability of outcomes and feasibility of collecting health economic measures and of determining cost-effectiveness were collected. Speech and language therapists selected suitable children (ages 4-7 years old) from their caseload. E-PLAYS intervention (experimental group) was then delivered by teaching assistants overseen by speech and language therapists. The control group received usual care. Assessments included blinded language measures and observations, non-blinded teacher-reported measures of peer relations and classroom behaviour and non-blinded parent-reported use of health and education resources and quality of life.
RESULTS RESULTS
Planned recruitment was for 70 children, in the event, 50 children were recruited which was sufficient for feasibility purposes. E-PLAYS was very highly rated by children, teaching assistants and speech and language therapists and treatment fidelity did not pose any issues. We were able to collect health economic data which suggests that E-PLAYS would be a low-cost intervention.
CONCLUSION CONCLUSIONS
Based on recruitment, retention and adherence rates and our outcome measures, a full-scale randomised controlled trial estimated appears feasible and warranted to assess the effectiveness of E-PLAYS for use by the NHS and schools.
TRIAL REGISTRATION BACKGROUND
ISRCTN 14818949 (retrospectively registered).

Identifiants

pubmed: 33390188
doi: 10.1186/s40814-020-00724-9
pii: 10.1186/s40814-020-00724-9
pmc: PMC7780650
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Pagination

5

Subventions

Organisme : National Institute for Health Research
ID : PB-PG-0416-20035

Références

J Autism Dev Disord. 2014 Jan;44(1):236-48
pubmed: 23756935
BMJ. 2010 Mar 23;340:c332
pubmed: 20332509
Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2012 Sep-Oct;47(5):487-98
pubmed: 22938060
Health Inf Manag. 1997 Mar-May;27(1):31-8
pubmed: 10169442
Phys Occup Ther Pediatr. 2016;36(1):46-58
pubmed: 26422262
Dev Sci. 2015 Jan;18(1):146-54
pubmed: 24986395
Trials. 2020 Jan 23;21(1):109
pubmed: 31973713
J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2014 Feb;42(2):277-89
pubmed: 23794095
Dev Med Child Neurol. 2001 Dec;43(12):809-18
pubmed: 11769267
J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2014 May;55(5):516-27
pubmed: 24410167
Pilot Feasibility Stud. 2019 Jun 8;5:75
pubmed: 31198579
J Autism Dev Disord. 2019 Aug;49(8):3453-3461
pubmed: 31119512
Res Dev Disabil. 2014 Nov;35(11):2821-39
pubmed: 25104223
Qual Life Res. 2010 Aug;19(6):875-86
pubmed: 20405245
Trials. 2014 Jul 03;15:264
pubmed: 24993581
Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2017 Mar;74(Pt A):98-114
pubmed: 28093239
Autism. 2014 May;18(4):346-61
pubmed: 24092843
J Autism Dev Disord. 2007 Feb;37(2):354-66
pubmed: 16897380
Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch. 2000 Jul 1;31(3):252-264
pubmed: 27764443
Autism. 2013 Sep;17(5):608-22
pubmed: 22987887
Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2012 May-Jun;47(3):233-44
pubmed: 22512510
Am J Psychiatry. 2010 Jul;167(7):748-51
pubmed: 20595427
J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2004 Jul;45(5):967-78
pubmed: 15225339
J Autism Dev Disord. 2005 Dec;35(6):695-708; discussion 709-11
pubmed: 16496206
Autism. 2007 Jul;11(4):321-33
pubmed: 17656397
Int J Speech Lang Pathol. 2015 Feb;17(1):41-52
pubmed: 24801409
BMJ. 2015 Mar 19;350:h1258
pubmed: 25791983
Br J Psychiatry. 2010 Apr;196(4):282-9
pubmed: 20357304
Res Autism Spectr Disord. 2016 Jul;27:1-10
pubmed: 27807466
Res Dev Disabil. 2014 May;35(5):943-51
pubmed: 24642228
Child Care Health Dev. 2016 May;42(3):313-24
pubmed: 26990809
Br J Educ Psychol. 2019 Dec;89(4):818-837
pubmed: 30580444
Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2009 Sep-Oct;44(5):600-15
pubmed: 19387886
J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2014 Mar;55(3):204-16
pubmed: 24117874
J Autism Dev Disord. 2012 Sep;42(9):1984-97
pubmed: 22274778
Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2012 Nov-Dec;47(6):696-708
pubmed: 23121528
J Autism Dev Disord. 2012 Sep;42(9):1895-905
pubmed: 22215436
PLoS One. 2017 Apr 20;12(4):e0172242
pubmed: 28426832
J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2001 Nov;40(11):1337-45
pubmed: 11699809
Ambul Pediatr. 2003 Nov-Dec;3(6):329-41
pubmed: 14616041
Health Technol Assess. 2015 Jun;19(41):1-506
pubmed: 26065374
J Child Lang. 1994 Jun;21(2):439-63
pubmed: 7929689
J Autism Dev Disord. 2013 Feb;43(2):301-22
pubmed: 22706582
Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2009 Jul-Aug;44(4):511-28
pubmed: 19340628
Biometrics. 1977 Mar;33(1):159-74
pubmed: 843571

Auteurs

Suzanne Murphy (S)

Institute of Health Research, University of Bedfordshire, University Square, Luton, LU1 3JU, UK. Suzanne.murphy@beds.ac.uk.

Victoria Joffe (V)

University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK.

Louisa Donald (L)

Institute of Health Research, University of Bedfordshire, University Square, Luton, LU1 3JU, UK.

Jessica Radley (J)

Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7JX, UK.

Sailaa Sunthararajah (S)

Research and Development Office, North East London NHS Foundation Trust, Goodmayes Hospital, Barley Lane, Ilford, IG3 8XJ, UK.

Charlie Welch (C)

Department of Health Sciences, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DD, UK.

Kerry Bell (K)

Department of Health Sciences, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DD, UK.

David Messer (D)

Education & Language Studies, Faculty of Wellbeing, Open University, Walton Hall, Kents Hill, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK.

Sarah Crafter (S)

School of Psychology, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, Open University, Walton Hall, Kents Hill, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK.

Caroline Fairhurst (C)

Department of Health Sciences, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DD, UK.

Belen Corbacho (B)

Department of Health Sciences, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DD, UK.

Sara Rodgers (S)

Department of Health Sciences, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DD, UK.

David Torgerson (D)

Department of Health Sciences, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DD, UK.

Classifications MeSH