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Manualized Assessment and Treatment Model of Challenging Behavior

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey · with Autism Speaks · NCT05928247

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Opens the official ClinicalTrials.gov record, with the study team’s contacts. Bored Studies doesn’t enroll anyone.

Key facts

Compensation
Not posted. Ask the study team before screening.
Who can join
Ages 3–17 · All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Accepted
Study type
Interventional · Not applicable
Target enrollment
30
US sites recruiting
1
Study start
December 31, 2026
Record last updated
May 8, 2026

Status re-checked against ClinicalTrials.gov within the last 12 hours.

What the study is about

Despite decades of mounting single-case-design evidence for the efficacy of applied behavior analysis (ABA) and other approaches for the assessment and treatment of challenging behavior, an evidence-based comprehensive approach remains to exist. The current study will collect test the efficacy of a standardized manual for assessing and treating challenging behavior for individuals with severe and mild challenging behavior.

Being studied: Functional Communication Training (FCT); Non-Contingent Reinforcement (NCR); Competing Items and Response Blocking; Research Units in Behavioral Intervention (RUBI) protocol

Conditions: Problem Behavior; Aggression; Self-Injury

Eligibility criteria

Copied from the official record. The study team makes the final decision at screening.

Show full criteria

Inclusion Criteria

  • children from ages 3 to 17;
  • challenging behavior that occurs at least 10 times a day, despite previous treatment;
  • challenging behavior maintained by social positive or automatic reinforcement;
  • stable protective supports for self-injurious behavior (e.g., helmet) with no anticipated changes during enrollment;
  • on a stable psychoactive drug regimen for at least 10 half-lives per drug or drug free;
  • stable educational plan and placement with no anticipated changes during the child's treatment.

Exclusion Criteria

  • patients who do not meet the inclusion criteria;
  • patients currently receiving 15 or more hours per week of treatment for their challenging behavior;
  • DSM-5 diagnosis of Rett syndrome or other degenerative conditions (e.g., inborn error of metabolism);
  • a comorbid health condition or major mental disorder that would interfere with study participation;
  • occurrence of self-injury during study assessments that presents a risk of serious or permanent harm (e.g., detached retinas) based on our routine clinical-risk assessment (Betz, 2011);
  • patients requiring changes to protective supports for self-injury or drug treatment, but the investigators will invite these patients to participate when protective supports and drug regimen are stable.

Recruiting US locations

  • Children's Specialized Hospital-Rutgers University Center for Autism Research, Education, and Services

    Somerset, NJ 08873

    Site contact: Wayne Fisher, PhD · 8488008503 · wayne.fisher@rutgers.edu

Study contacts (from the official record)

  • Wayne Fisher, PhD · 8488008503 · wayne.fisher@rutgers.edu
  • Serena Claiborne · 8488008504 · sclaibor@rutgers.edu
All healthy volunteers studies in New Jersey →
Manualized Assessment and Treatment Model of Challenging Behavior (NCT05928247) | Bored Studies