Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)ADAPTNCT07216768
ADAPT: Approach to Dance for Autism
A study testing Ballet Class in people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), run by Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
It is well documented that motor impairments are associated with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Yet, appropriate therapies are scarce. Dance has been shown to not only promote fine and gross motor skills, but also psychological well-being, cognition, and social participation in neurotypical dancers. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 6 to 12 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- What is being tested?
- Ballet Class
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 32 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 25 Aug 2025to 23 May 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 6 to 12 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child
Who may be able to join
- 6-12 years age
- understand English or Spanish
- Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis
- not currently taking ballet class
Who cannot join
- none
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, New York, 10029
About this study
It is well documented that motor impairments are associated with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Yet, appropriate therapies are scarce. Dance has been shown to not only promote fine and gross motor skills, but also psychological well-being, cognition, and social participation in neurotypical dancers. Little research has been conducted to gauge if these benefits translate to those with ASD. Ballet for all Kids (BFAK) is a recreational dance program that has been teaching ballet to children with ASD for over a decade, but has yet to be empirically studied. This study expands on the goals of former STUDY 24-00144, Approach to Dance for Autism (ADAPT), NCT06424366, to elucidate the impact of participation in a recreational dance program on children with ASD.
Read the detailed description
The researchers aim to expand upon the pilot randomized trial (STUDY-24-00144) using BFAK's curriculum and structure to elucidate the impact of a recreational ballet program on the motor function and psychological, social, and behavioral skills of children with ASD. For the primary objective, the researchers hypothesize that after 12 weeks of participation in BFAK, children with ASD will improve their motor function. For the secondary objectives, the researchers hypothesize that after 12 weeks of participation in BFAK, children with ASD will improve their behavior and mood. This is a single site, randomized trial with 32 individuals diagnosed with ASD.
Participants will be placed in either Level 1 or Level 2 based on prior experience with BFAK. Participants returning from our pilot study will be placed into Level 2 at the discretion of the program coordinators, and all newly recruited participants will be placed in Level 1. BFAK ballet classes will begin in September and run for 45 minutes once a week for the intervention group. The waitlist control group will begin classes in January for 45 minutes once a week, ending in March 2026.
- Conditions
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- Being tested
- Ballet Class
- Keywords
- Ballet, Recreational dance, Autism Spectrum Disorder, motor coordination, social skills
- Medical subject headings
- Autism Spectrum Disorder, Social Skills
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Ballet ClassBehavioural
Participants will attend weekly ballet classes following either Level 1 or Level 2 Ballet For All Kids (BFAK) curriculum.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Cohort 1 - Classes in fall | Experimental | Participants randomly assigned to cohort 1 will begin classes in fall 2025. Parents/guardians will complete surveys just one time over the 12 week intervention Receives: Behavioral: Ballet Class |
| Cohort 2 - Classes in spring | Experimental | This cohort is a waitlist control. Parents/guardians will complete all surveys during the fall while their children do not receive the intervention. They will then receive the intervention in the spring and surveys will be completed again. Receives: Behavioral: Ballet Class |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ)
The change in scores on the DCDQ at baseline and weeks 6 and 12 of the BFAK program.
The DCDQ is a 15 item questionnaire designed to screen for coordination challenges in children from 5 to 15 years old and has long been used in children with ASD. It comprises 3 subscales: (1) Control during movement (scale 9-45), (2) Fine Motor/Handwriting (scale 11-55), and (3) General Coordination (scale 10-50).
Scores are calculated by weighting the domains as follows: (Control during movement/30) + (Fine Motor/Handwriting/20) + (General Coordination/25) = TOTAL, reported as a range from 15-75. Higher scores indicate better coordination.
For Children Ages 5 years 0 months to 7 years 11 months: 5-46 indication of DCD or suspect DCD; 47-75 probably not DCD
For Children Ages 8 yrs 0 mos to 9 yrs 11 mos: 15-55 indication of DCD or suspect DCD; 56-75 probably not DCD
For Children Ages 10 yrs 0 mos to 15 yrs: 15-57 indication of DCD or suspect DCD; 58-75 probably not DCD
Measured: baseline, week 6,and week 12
Change in Pediatric Balance Scale
The difference in participants' scores on the Pediatric Balance scale at baseline and week 12.
The Pediatric Balance Scale is a 14-item questionnaire that prompts children to complete certain movements such as standing unsupported, turning 360 degrees, and retrieving an object from the floor. Completion of movements are scored on a scale from 0 to 4. Full scale is scored 0-56, with higher scores corresponding to more advanced motor skills.
Measured: baseline and week 12
Change in Movement Assessment Battery for Children.
The difference in participants' scores on the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC) at baseline and week 12.
The MABC is a standardized tool used to identify and describe motor impairments in children. It assesses fine and gross motor skills across everyday movement domains, and is commonly used for diagnosing Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) and related difficulties. The MABC is divided into three domains: (1) Manual Dexterity (0-15), (2) Aiming \& Catching (0-10), (3) Balance (0-15).
Full scale is scored from 0-40 as a sum of the three domains. A higher total score indicates greater motor difficulty/impairment. Lower scores indicate better motor competence.
Measured: baseline and weeks12
Secondary outcomes (3)
Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC)
The difference in participants' scores on self-reports of the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) at baseline, week and completion of the BFAK program.
The ABC is a 58-item scale designed to assess the impact of treatment on various presentations and behaviors of developmental disorders and has been widely used in children with ASD. The ABC is divided into five main subscales: Irritability/Agitation/Crying (0-45), Lethargy/Social Withdrawal (0-48), Stereotypic Behavior (0-21), Hyperactivity/Noncompliance (0-48), and Inappropriate Speech (0-12). Total score ranges from 0 to 174. Higher scores indicate more severe problems.
Measured: baseline, week 6, week 12
Swanson, Nolan and Pelham (SNAP-IV)
The difference in SNAP-IV scores on self-reports at baseline and week 6, completion.
The SNAP-IV is a DSM-based symptom rating scale commonly used to assess ADHD symptoms (Inattention; Hyperactivity/Impulsivity) with an optional Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) domain. Total score ranges from 0 to 78 on the 26-item version (higher scores indicate greater symptom severity). The SNAP-IV is divided into three subscales: Inattention (0-27), Hyperactivity/Impulsivity (0-27), and Oppositional Defiant (0-24). If using only the 18 ADHD items, the ADHD Total ranges from 0 to 54. Higher scores indicate more severe problems.
Measured: baseline, week 6, week 12
Number of classes attended
The difference in active participation across attended classes as measured by in-house designed rubrics completed by volunteers at each class.
Measured: baseline, week 6, week 12
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted15 Oct 2025
- Study start25 Aug 2025
- Primary completion23 May 2026
- Study completion23 May 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)Studies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Participants will participate in 12 weeks of recreational ballet classes following the established Ballet For All Kids curriculum. Participants will have weekly 45 minute classes with videos covering moves taught in class that are to be watched 3x/week. In class, participation and balance scales will be used to evaluate motor function. Parents or guardians will complete questionnaires at baseline, 6 weeks, and completion of the program. This study is a waitlist control model, where one group will complete surveys in the fall while not receiving the intervention, and again in the Spring while taking the intervention.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 32 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Ballet Academy East
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Alexander Kolevzon, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Investigators
- Michelle J Adler, BSc, Principal investigator, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07216768
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- STUDY-25-00779
- Acronym
- ADAPT
- Status last verified
- Jun 2026
- First submitted
- 13 Oct 2025
- Last updated
- 16 Jun 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: There is no plan or need for this data to be shared at this time. However we are collecting parent/guardian consent for future use of de-identified data.