# Investigating Social Competence in Youth with Autism: A Multisite RCT

> **NIH NIH R01** · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · 2020 · $710,448

## Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by primary impairment in social competence. Effects of
current psychosocial interventions often fail to maintain or generalize and few employ rigorous experimental
methods. Our treatment, SENSE Theatre, combines several well-documented, effective behavioral strategies,
such as the inclusion of trained peer models, theatre play techniques involving predictable (i.e., scripted) and
flexible (improvised) role-play, and repeated performance of newly learned skills resulting in greater
automaticity of behavior. Recent findings from a randomized control trial (RCT) show immediate between-
group effects and evidence of target engagement on the hypothesized mechanism of action, memory for faces,
which was evaluated by neuropsychological and event-related potential (ERP) measures. Moreover, the RCT
demonstrated treatment effects on social communication skills that generalized to home and community
settings. Finally, maintained treatment effects were observed on communication symptoms. The proposed
project will extend these findings and provide a stronger test of efficacy using a multisite RCT of SENSE
Theatre with a large sample of 240 participants with ASD (8 to 16 years) randomized to experimental (N = 120)
and an active control group (N = 120) in 12 separate cohorts. The RCT will assess target engagement of
memory for faces, a foundational skill for social competence, and functional change in social interaction with
peers using examiners blind to study treatment group assignment. The significance and size of treatment
effects on these cognitive and behavioral outcomes will be measured using mixed level analysis. Thus, the
overarching aim of the study is to determine whether detected changes in face memory and social interaction
are due to the SENSE Theatre treatment and the extent to which these changes generalize and maintain. If
predicted results occur, it will provide strong empirical support for a community-based treatment that has
generalized effects on a set of core deficits that otherwise have life-long consequences for youth with ASD.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9837488
- **Project number:** 5R01MH114906-03
- **Recipient organization:** VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Blythe Anne Corbett
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $710,448
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-12-20 → 2021-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9837488

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9837488, Investigating Social Competence in Youth with Autism: A Multisite RCT (5R01MH114906-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9837488. Licensed CC0.

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