Testing a Mobile App-Based Intervention to Improve Toothbrushing Skills and Habits in Children and Teens With Autism
University of Washington
Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to test whether the autism-friendly app improves toothbrushing outcomes compared to a control app with only a digital mirror and countdown timer among children and teens (ages 8-17 years) with autism. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Will toothbrushing distribution, duration, and frequency be greater in the experimental arm than in the control arm? 2. Will toothbrushing habit formation be higher in the experimental arm than in the control arm? 3. Is caregiver and child self-efficacy a mediator of toothbrushing habit formation? 4. Do children who exhibit habit formation report better oral health-related quality of life? Participants will: 1. Use either the autism-friendly app or the control app during their daily toothbrushing routine for 3 months. 2. Complete surveys and assessments about toothbrushing behaviors and oral health over the course of the study.
Description
The UH3 RCT will be conducted over four years. We will obtain a list of eligible participants from the main study recruitment site (Seattle Children's Hospital). We will obtain a list of individuals who express interest in participating in the study from other recruitment sites. UW staff will contact potential participants, describe the study, verify interest and screen for eligibility, and obtain informed consent and assent. The caregiver and their child/teen, aged 8-17 years, will be enrolled (N=270) as dyads and randomly assigned (1:1) to an experimental or control arm, accounting for sex a…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 8–17 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Child participants will have Autism Spectrum Disorder that will be confirmed by: (1) chart review by clinical staff at the recruitment sites to determine if the child meets the DSM-5 criteria for autism spectrum disorder; OR (2) affirmative caregiver self-reporting: (YES) to the question, "Has a healthcare provider ever diagnosed your child with autism?" which has been used in previous studies as a valid method of identifying ASD in children.23,24 2. Willingness to take the SRS-2 \[Social Responsiveness Scale-2\], which will be completed through an online link sent by U…
Interventions
- BehavioralBrush Up App
The Brush Up app is an autism-friendly mobile app modified to improve toothbrushing skills and habits in children with autism spectrum disorder and includes a health education module, a cartoon role model, toothbrushing instructional song, digital screen mirror, and customizable app features.
- BehavioralBrush Down App
The Brush Down app provides health education module, a digital screen mirror and a countdown timer. This app does not include autism-friendly features.
Location
- University of Washington School of DentistrySeattle, Washington