Retrieval-Based Word Learning in Autistic Children

This study is looking at different ways to help autistic children, aged 4 to 10, learn new words. It compares two teaching methods: one where children repeatedly review words (re-study) and another where they are quizzed after learning words (repeated quizzing). The goal is to see if these strategies, which have helped other children, can also improve how autistic children learn and remember new words, especially names of animals. Researchers will measure how well children recall the words and their meanings shortly after learning and again one week later. The study is currently unclear on its recruitment status and plans to enroll 64 children.

Study design
This interventional study plans to enroll 64 children with Autism Spectrum Disorder to compare two word learning strategies.
What's involved
Not specified in the trial record.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Your word recall and recognition will be tested shortly after learning and again one week later.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT06466876

Retrieval-Based Word Learning in Autistic Children

Recruiting
NAAges 4–10InterventionalTreatment
Louisiana State University and A&M College
~64 participants
Updated 2026-06-08 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:retrieval-based word learning

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Word form recall
Measured over During the 5-minute test and 1-week test (for taught and generalization referents) for Studies 1 and 2
+2 more outcomes measured
Autism Spectrum Disorder

NCT06466876

Where you'd take part

This study runs at 1 site. They're the same protocol — you choose where, and that choice sets who your contact draft is addressed to.

  • Louisiana State University

    Baton Rouge, Louisianastudy coordinator listed

    Recruiting

Sites open and close at different times, so the status above is per site — it can differ from the study's overall status.

  • Eileen K Haebig, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans

Opens a ready-to-send draft in your own email app — review before sending.

Want this trial checked against your situation?

Add a private profile and we'll compare every criterion below against your situation — and tell you which ones are met, uncertain, or excluding.

Check eligibility for this trial ~2 min · HIPAA-protected · delete anytime
Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) will participate in this study. The study will be 4- to 10-years-old and will already have a community diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. The diagnosis will be confirmed confirmed using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule - 2nd edition (ADOS-2; Lord et al., 2012).
Because the children will be completing an experimental word learning study that requires the child to verbally produce the newly taught words, children must have verbal communication skills (i.e., be able to speak in at least simple sentences spontaneously), which will be determined in initial correspondence with the child's parent or guardian.
Children's primary language spoken must be English.
All children will pass a hearing screening.
Additionally, all children will score above 75 on the Leiter-3 (Roid, Miller, \& Pomplun, 2013), a nonverbal cognitive assessment.

Exclusion

Because the word learning study involves the child needing to produce the taught words non-speaking autistic children and minimally speaking autistic children (i.e., is not able to produce at least simple sentences in spontaneous speech) will be excluded from the proposed studies.
If the child has a history of a neurological disorder such as cerebral palsy or a known genetic disorder that causes developmental delays/disorders
If the child has an un-corrected hearing loss.
  • Word form recallDuring the 5-minute test and 1-week test (for taught and generalization referents) for Studies 1 and 2

    For Study 1 and 2, we will document child learning with higher scores indicating better learning. Measures: Accuracy -- overall accuracy assigning 0-1 points for each word (minimum: 0, maximum: 16) and phonological accuracy assigning multiple points based off of the adapted scoring procedures from Edwards et al. (2004).

  • Word meaning recallDuring the 5-minute test and 1-week test (for taught and generalization referents) for Studies 1 and 2

    For Study 1 (noun learning), we will document child learning with 0 and 1 values that will be summed across test items. Higher scores indicating better learning Word meaning will be assessed by asking children to recall/state: 1) what each animal likes and 2) what each animal likes to do. Measure: Accuracy -- overall accuracy assigning 0 - 1 point for each word meaning that is accurately recalled (likes meaning score minimum: 0, maximum: 16, likes to do meaning score minimum: 0, maximum: 16)

  • Form-referent-link recognitionDuring the 1-week test (for taught and generalization referents) for Studies 1 and 2

    For Study 1 and 2 at the 1-week test, we will test children's receptive knowledge of the newly taught words (nouns and adjectives) and their ability to demonstrate generalization. The form-referent link recognition tests will be a multiple-choice measure in which the child is asked to point to the referent in an array consisting of the target and two foils. The foils will be picture referents of the other novel words in the study. Measure: Accuracy -- 0 - 1 point for each accurate response Minimum: 0, Maximum: 16 Higher scores indicate better learning.