Brain Plasticity Underlying Acquisition of New Organizational Skills in Children
Study Details
Study Description
Brief Summary
Organizational, time management and planning (OTMP) skills deficits are impairing features of developmental disorders, such as Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), which compromise school performance and family relations. The manualized Organizational Skills Training program (OST) was designed to target children's specific OTMP deficits. However, the brain mechanisms of treatment-induced changes remain unknown. The current study combines a training intervention (OST) with non-invasive MRI imaging in a pre-/post-design in a randomized two-arm (treatment vs. waitlist) trial to address this question.
| Condition or Disease | Intervention/Treatment | Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
N/A |
Study Design
Arms and Interventions
| Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
|---|---|
| Experimental: OST Intervention
|
Behavioral: Organizational Skills Training
Will undergo two magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sessions: one within 2 weeks prior to OST treatment and one within 2 weeks of completion of the OST treatment.
|
| Other: Waitlist
|
Behavioral: Waitlist
Will undergo two magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sessions separated by a 12 week wait period. Will then undergo OST treatment
|
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
- Change in parent Children's Organizational Skills Scales (COSS-P) total T-scores following OST intervention [Day 1]
The Children's Organizational Skills Scale quantifies how children (ages 8-13) organize their time, materials, and actions to accomplish important tasks at home and school. The Parent report consists of 66 questions, each using a 4-point Likert-type scale. T-scores can range between 40 and 90
Eligibility Criteria
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
-
Age at entry: age ≥ 8.0 and ≤ 11.9 years corresponding to grades 3-5
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Written assent by child and consent by parent or legal guardian
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IQ: Estimated full scale IQ ≥ 85 and language comprehension scores ≥ 8
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Organizational skills deficits defined as elevated (≥ 1SD) pre-treatment COSS Parent Total T-score and at least one COSS Parent Interference item rated as either a 3 or 4 (indicating an above-average level of impairment)
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Must provide adequate MRI data at baseline
Exclusion Criteria:
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Enrolled in a self-contained special education classroom or served by a 1:1 paraprofessional in their classroom
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Absence of signed consent by parent or legal guardian
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Children who dissent regardless of parental permission
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Full scale IQ < 85
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Children with a recent (past 6 months) or current history of neuroleptic treatment or current treatment with psychotropic medications other than stimulants
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Per history (and medical records if needed) medical illness requiring chronic current treatment
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History of intrathecal chemotherapy or focal cranial irradiation
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Premature birth (< 32 weeks estimated gestational age or birth weight < 1500g)
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History of leukomalacia or static encephalopathy, intracerebral hemorrhage beyond grade 2, other specific or focal neurological or metabolic disorder including epilepsy (except for resolved febrile seizures)
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History of traumatic brain injury
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Contraindication for MRI scanning (metal implants, pacemakers, metal foreign bodies or pregnancy)
Contacts and Locations
Locations
| Site | City | State | Country | Postal Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NYU Langone Health | New York | New York | United States | 10016 |
Sponsors and Collaborators
- NYU Langone Health
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Francisco Castellanos, MD, New York Langone Health
Study Documents (Full-Text)
None provided.More Information
Publications
None provided.- s17-00263
- R61MH113663