Improving communication measures for young children with autism

Validation of an outcome measure of early social-communication for young children with ASD

NIH-funded research Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-10897750

This study is working on creating easy-to-use tools that help doctors and therapists see how young children with autism are improving their social and communication skills over time, so they can better support their growth and treatment.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniv of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Chapel Hill, United States)
Project IDNIH-10897750 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research focuses on developing and validating effective measures to assess social-communication skills in young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). By creating tools that can accurately detect changes in these skills over time, the research aims to enhance the ability of clinicians and early interventionists to monitor the effectiveness of various treatments. The approach involves adapting existing psychometric data to create brief observational measures that can be used in clinical settings. This will ultimately help in understanding the impact of interventions on children's communication abilities.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are young children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, particularly those aged 0-11 years.

Not a fit: Patients who do not have a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder or are outside the age range of 0-11 years may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to better monitoring of communication skills in children with autism, improving treatment outcomes.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown success in developing similar outcome measures for other developmental disorders, indicating a promising approach.

Where this research is happening

Chapel Hill, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.