Investigating SOcial Competence and Isolation in children with Autism taking part in LEGO-based therapy clubs In...

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Developmental Neuroscience
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Traditional social skills training for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often uses a deficit-based model.
• LEGO-based therapy offers a child-centered approach to enhance social interaction and reduce isolation in school-aged children with ASD.
• Existing evidence for LEGO-based therapy's effectiveness on social-emotional well-being in ASD is limited, with no cost-effectiveness data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of LEGO-based therapy compared to usual care for children with ASD.
• To assess the social, emotional, and behavioral changes in children with ASD participating in LEGO-based therapy.
• To determine the cost-effectiveness of LEGO-based therapy for children with ASD.

Main Methods:

• A multicentre, pragmatic, cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving 240 children (aged 7-15) with ASD.
• Schools were cluster randomized to either LEGO-based therapy plus usual care or usual care alone.
• Participants were followed up at 20 and 52 weeks, with the primary outcome being the social skills subscale of the Social Skills Improvement System at 20 weeks.

Main Results:

• Data collection and analysis are ongoing; this is a pre-results abstract.
• The study is designed to provide robust evidence on the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of LEGO-based therapy.
• Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and to stakeholders.

Conclusions:

• LEGO-based therapy is a promising intervention for improving social interaction in children with ASD.
• This pragmatic RCT will provide crucial evidence on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of this approach.
• Findings will inform clinical practice and educational interventions for children with ASD.