The Effectiveness of Group Interpersonal Synchrony in Young Autistic Adults' Work Environment

Summary

Background: Few autistic adults are able to integrate successfully into the world of work given their difficulties adapting to the social and stressful aspects of work environments. Interpersonal synchrony, when two or more individuals share body movements or sensations, is a powerful force that consolidates human groups while promoting the ability to self-regulate and cooperate with others. The abilities to self-regulate and cooperate are crucial for maintaining a calm and productive work environment.

Objectives: This randomized controlled trial (RCT) aims to assess the effects of group interpersonal synchrony on prosociality and work-related stress of young autistic adults in their work environment.

Methods: This mixed-methods RCT will investigate two movement-based group synchronous and non-synchronous intervention conditions. The sample will be composed of young adults enrolled in an innovative Israeli program designed to integrate cognitively-abled 18- to 25-year-old autistic adults into the Israeli army work force. The movement-based intervention sessions will take place in groups of 10-14 participants, once a week for 10 weeks. Questionnaires, behavioral collaborative tasks and semi-structured interviews will be conducted. Quantitative data will be collected for each participant at three points of time: before and after the intervention period, and four months after the end of the intervention. Qualitative data will be collected after the intervention period in interviews with 15% of the participants.

Conditions

• Autism Spectrum Disorder

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Structured synchronous physical training

The instructors and the participants will form a circle facing each other while doing the physical exercises. To facilitate interpersonal synchrony, the participants will be instructed to do the same physical exercises (spatial synchrony) together at the same pace (rhythmic synchrony). Each session will consist of four parts: 1. Warm-up (10 minutes) 2. Social Game (10 minutes) 3. Main training (30 minutes): Each session will contain two sets, each consisting of seven fixed exercises with a resting period of 10-15 seconds between each. Each exercise will be performed at one of three different paces: Slow - one movement cycle per 2 seconds, Medium - one movement cycle per 1 second and Fast - two movement cycles per 1 second. 4. Cool-down (10 minutes)

BEHAVIORAL

Structured non-synchronous physical training

The participants will do the same physical exercises as the participants in the synchronous group but in the form of circuit training with seven stations. The circuit training will require the participants to do a different physical exercise at a different pace at each station. A detailed description of the exercises will be provided for each station. The instructors will demonstrate all the exercises before the beginning of training. The participants will be instructed to do the exercise for a set period of time, the same duration used in the synchronous group. The circuit training stations will be in the form of a circle but will be set up so that the participants do not to face each other when doing the exercises to prevent spontaneous synchronization. Each session will consist of four parts, the same as in the synchronous intervention.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Haifa

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Tal-Chen Rabinowitch, PhD · University of Haifa, Israel

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

25 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2021-08-01

Primary Completion

2023-06-01

Completion

2023-06-01

Countries

• Israel

Study Locations