# Enhancing Social Competence in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot RCT

> **NIH NIH R33** · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · 2021 · $496,224

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by primary impairment in social competence. Current
psychosocial interventions for adults with ASD are lacking and urgently needed. The goal of the current proposal
is to address this critical, unmet need for the development of psychosocial interventions for adults with ASD by
utilizing an innovative intervention with emerging efficacy in children and adolescents with ASD. SENSE
Theatre combines established behavioral techniques alongside theatrical strategies delivered in a peer-
mediated, community service model with strong evidence of significant improvement in social competence.
Recent findings from a randomized control trial (RCT) in youth with ASD show immediate between-group effects
and evidence of target engagement on the hypothesized mechanism of action, social salience (e.g., memory
for faces), evaluated by event-related potentials (ERP) and neuropsychological measures, which were linked to
improvement in social interaction, social communication and adaptive functioning. While previous research has
been efficacious, the objective of the application is to determine if SENSE Theatre is effective for adults with
ASD at impacting social cognition, which in turn results in changes in functional clinical outcomes for adults with
ASD. The proposal will develop and conduct a pilot RCT on an existing and novel psychosocial intervention
explicitly tailored for adults with ASD. The intervention consists of 10 weekly sessions, 3 hours per session as
well as dress/technical rehearsal and two public performances. Modifications to the current SENSE Theatre
program will include: 1) having trained adult peers, 2) more age-appropriate theatrical play themes and
individualized monologues (e.g., social relationships, employment), and 3) individualized character
development and performance goals. The study will enroll 40 participants with high-functioning ASD 18 to 35
years of age randomized to experimental (EXP = 20) and waitlist control (WLC = 20) groups. The proposed RCT
aims to: 1) assess target engagement of memory for faces, a foundational skill for social competence, using
neuroimaging (ERP) and neuropsychological measures, and 2) test the link between the degree of target
engagement of face memory and functional outcomes (e.g., social skills, and social interaction with novel peers).
Measures will be assessed at pretest, posttest, and 2-month follow-up. The project will help achieve the goal
to inform, refine and finalize a SENSE Theatre manual for adults with ASD. If predicted results occur, it will
provide strong empirical support for a psychosocial intervention that has generalized and maintained effects on
social competence that left untreated has significant consequences for adults with ASD.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10133151
- **Project number:** 5R33MH120149-02
- **Recipient organization:** VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Blythe Anne Corbett
- **Activity code:** R33 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $496,224
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-04-01 → 2023-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10133151

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10133151, Enhancing Social Competence in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot RCT (5R33MH120149-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10133151. Licensed CC0.

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