Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)NCT07884032
Expression Intensity Modulates Social Intention Understanding in ASD Children
An observational study of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), run by University of Electronic Science and Technology of China.
Trial summary
Children watch videos of a single model playing with toys, judge whether the model desires a new toy based on observing the model's varying expression intensities, and form a judgment on whether the model intends to obtain a new toy or not. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 5 to 8 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- How many people
- 90 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- 10 Oct 2026to 31 Dec 2026
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
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 5 to 8 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child
Study population: An estimated 90 Chinese children participated in this study, with 30 in the TD group, 30 in the ASD group, and 30 in the ID group. Children with ASD and ID were recruited from private or public specialist schools in Chengdu, while TD children were from primary school and kindergarten in Shehong City, Sichuan Province. The average age was 7 years old, including 15 males and 15 females in each group. Eye-tracking data with a sampling rate below 70% will be excluded from analysis.
Who may be able to join
- For the TD group: Typically developing children without any developmental or neurological disorders.
- For the ASD group: Confirmed clinical diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and reconfirmed by the criteria of the Diagnostic Observation Table for ASD, Second Edition (ADOS-2).
- For the ID group: Confirmed clinical diagnosis of Intellectual Disability (ID) and the ADOS-2 with a comparison score below the ASD diagnostic cut-off score (comparison score ≤ 2).
- All groups: Normal or corrected-to-normal vision, no color vision deficiencies.
- All groups: Legal guardian provided written informed consent.
Who cannot join
- Failure to meet the study's group-specific screen cutoffs on the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) and ADOS-2.
- Known genetic syndromes.
- Significant hearing loss.
- Uncorrectable visual impairment.
Trial locations and contacts
No sites are listed yet. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
About this study
Official title: Expression Intensity Modulates Social Intention Understanding in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Evidence From Eye Tracking and Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
Children watch videos of a single model playing with toys, judge whether the model desires a new toy based on observing the model's varying expression intensities, and form a judgment on whether the model intends to obtain a new toy or not. During this process, children's eye-tracking data are recorded, and changes in blood oxygen levels in the cerebral cortex are captured via functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) equipment. This study discusses children's social attention and the corresponding neural mechanisms during the intention understanding process.
- Conditions
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- Keywords
- Intention understanding, Expression intensity, eye-tracking, functional near-infrared spectroscopy, social cognition
- Medical subject headings
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Typically Developing Children (TD)group | Not described | |
| Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Group | Not described | |
| Intellectual Disability（ID) Group | Not described |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
The proportions of fixation duration
The fixation duration proportion for each area of interest (AOI) was calculated as the ratio of the fixation duration of different AOIs (face, hand) to the total fixation duration of the screen.
Measured: During the first 13 seconds video presentation.
The proportion of fixation duration on the screen displaying correct answers
The ratio of gaze duration on the correct answer screen to total gaze duration during the stage when judging whether the model wanted or did not want the new toy.
Measured: Experimental material video from 18 seconds to 26 seconds
Changes in cerebral cortex blood oxygen concentration
Changes in blood oxygen concentration in the cerebral cortex were monitored throughout the entire experimental procedure.
Measured: Each trial lasts 26 seconds, followed by a 20-second rest interval, for a total of 18 trials.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted20 Oct 2026
- Study start10 Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion10 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Dec 2026 (estimated)
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.
- 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
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Enrolment
- 90 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Shan Gao, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
- Investigators
- Shan Gao, Dr, Principal investigator, School of Foreign Languages, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07884032
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- UESTC-GazeLab-07
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 8 Oct 2026
- Last updated
- 20 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 20 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Expression Intensity Modulates Social Intention Understanding in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Evidence From Eye Tracking and Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07884032
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- UESTC-GazeLab-07
- Conditions
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- Keywords
- Intention understanding, Expression intensity, eye-tracking, functional near-infrared spectroscopy, social cognition
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 90 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 10 Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 10 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 20 Oct 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Children watch videos of a single model playing with toys, judge whether the model desires a new toy based on observing the model's varying expression intensities, and form a judgment on whether the model intends to obtain a new toy or not. During this process, children's eye-tracking data are recorded, and changes in blood oxygen levels in the cerebral cortex are captured via functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) equipment. This study discusses children's social attention and the corresponding neural mechanisms during the intention understanding process.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Typically Developing Children (TD)group | – | – |
| Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Group | – | – |
| Intellectual Disability（ID) Group | – | – |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 5 to 8 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child
- Study population
- An estimated 90 Chinese children participated in this study, with 30 in the TD group, 30 in the ASD group, and 30 in the ID group. Children with ASD and ID were recruited from private or public specialist schools in Chengdu, while TD children were from primary school and kindergarten in Shehong City, Sichuan Province. The average age was 7 years old, including 15 males and 15 females in each group. Eye-tracking data with a sampling rate below 70% will be excluded from analysis.
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- For the TD group: Typically developing children without any developmental or neurological disorders.
- For the ASD group: Confirmed clinical diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and reconfirmed by the criteria of the Diagnostic Observation Table for ASD, Second Edition (ADOS-2).
- For the ID group: Confirmed clinical diagnosis of Intellectual Disability (ID) and the ADOS-2 with a comparison score below the ASD diagnostic cut-off score (comparison score ≤ 2).
- All groups: Normal or corrected-to-normal vision, no color vision deficiencies.
- All groups: Legal guardian provided written informed consent.
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Failure to meet the study's group-specific screen cutoffs on the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) and ADOS-2.
- Known genetic syndromes.
- Significant hearing loss.
- Uncorrectable visual impairment.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
The proportions of fixation duration
Time frame: During the first 13 seconds video presentation.
The fixation duration proportion for each area of interest (AOI) was calculated as the ratio of the fixation duration of different AOIs (face, hand) to the total fixation duration of the screen.
The proportion of fixation duration on the screen displaying correct answers
Time frame: Experimental material video from 18 seconds to 26 seconds
The ratio of gaze duration on the correct answer screen to total gaze duration during the stage when judging whether the model wanted or did not want the new toy.
Changes in cerebral cortex blood oxygen concentration
Time frame: Each trial lasts 26 seconds, followed by a 20-second rest interval, for a total of 18 trials.
Changes in blood oxygen concentration in the cerebral cortex were monitored throughout the entire experimental procedure.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 20 Oct 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Shan Gao, Dr principal investigator
School of Foreign Languages, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), run by University of Electronic Science and Technology of China.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 20 Oct 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Shan Gao (86+13541290631, hohxil@sina.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
The proportions of fixation duration (time frame: During the first 13 seconds video presentation.). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 20 Oct 2026.