Can a smarter therapy tame severe behavior problems in kids?
NCT ID NCT05790668
First seen Aug 12, 2026 · Last updated Aug 13, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial tests two refinements to functional communication training (FCT), a therapy that teaches children with developmental disabilities to replace destructive behaviors like aggression or self-injury with appropriate requests. The refinements aim to make the therapy faster and prevent relapse during the gradual reduction of reinforcement. The study will enroll 30 children aged 3 to 17 who exhibit destructive behavior at least 10 times a day despite prior treatment. The goal is to see if these improvements can reduce destructive behavior more efficiently and safely.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Behavioral intervention: functional communication training with refinements (progressive interval assessment and competing stimuli)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could make behavioral therapy for severe destructive behavior faster and more effective, reducing harm and improving family life.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial. The refinements may not work for all children, and there is a risk of temporary increases in destructive behavior during treatment.
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center
RECRUITINGNew Brunswick, New Jersey, 08901, United States
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Rutgers University Center for Autism Research, Education, and Services
RECRUITINGSomerset, New Jersey, 08873, United States