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Emergent Multi-Class Imitation Training
A Pilot Investigation of Emergent Multi-Class Imitation Training (EMIT)
Who can join
12 Months – 6 Years · All sexes
Full eligibility criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder * Age 5 or under * Maximum score of 40 on Motor Vocal Imitation Assessment * Demonstrates identity matching above chance levels Exclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of intellectual disability * Diagnosis of certain conditions that impact motor function (e.g., cerebral palsy) * Visual impairment * Hearing impairment
About the study
The goals of this project are to (a) incorporate empirical findings on imitation training and learning in autistic children into a comprehensive protocol for Applied Behavior Analysis practitioners designed to rapidly facilitate generalized imitation called Emergent Multi-Class Imitation Training (EMIT), and (b) collect pilot data on the efficacy of EMIT with a small sample of autistic children. EMIT will incorporate several features that are grounded in prior research including: (a) evidence-based procedures for establishing trained matching relations (a pre-requisite to generalized imitation), (b) concurrent training of different response types (e.g., motor imitation, object imitation, vocal imitation) to address restricted generalization, (c) multiple manipulative object imitation training, (d) evidence-based procedures for remediating slow acquisition, and (e) frequent tests for the emergence of generalized imitation. EMIT will be the first protocol designed for clinical use that reflects research findings on imitation learning spanning almost five decades.
What is being tested
- Emergent Multi-Class Imitation Training (behavioral)
Sponsor: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey · Participants: 25 · Started: Mar 27, 2022
Contact the study team
- Meghan A Deshais, Ph.D. · Phone: 860-942-4453
Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT05849376
Locations in the U.S.
| New Jersey | Rutgers University, New Brunswick |
Conditions
From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.