Behavior Analytic Support of Needle-related Hospital Visits for Autistic Patients

Recruiting now · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Autism Spectrum Disorder

In brief

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the behavior analytic intervention in reducing the number of challenging behaviors exhibited by patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) while increasing compliance with needle-related simulations and procedures. A second purpose is to assess the social validity of this study as evidenced by patient and/or caregiver acceptability. The study wil take place at Boston Medical Center (BMC). A Single Subject Design (SSD) wil be utilized as it allows for detailed, individualized assessment of how interventions affect behavior over time in this type of behavior analytic research. By focusing on each participant as an individual and having each participant act as their own control, it demonstrates clear cause-and-effect relationships, showing how behavior changes with the introduction or withdrawal of an intervention. This method is flexible, enabling ongoing adjustments to treatments based on real-time data, making it particularly useful in personalized interventions and ensuring effectiveness for patients with unique needs such as those who would be eligible to enroll and participate in this study.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT06712784

Run by

Boston Medical Center

People needed

10

Starts

2026-07-07

Expected to finish

2027-03-01

Last updated by the study team

2026-07-09

Who can join

Age: 3 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Caregivers of autistic patients who have been historically engaged in challenging behaviors during needle-related procedures at a Boston Medical Center (BMC)
• Established BMC autistic patients (ages 3+) who have a history of engaging in challenging behaviors in the presence of needle-related medical stimuli.
• BMC Medical Providers (i.e., phlebotomists, medical doctors, registered nurses, certified nursing assistants, registered dieticians, and medical assistants) who either: 1) order needle-related medical procedures for participants to be conducted during procedure visits and/or 2) are present to conduct the ordered procedure
• English speaking participants

You may not qualify if…

• Patients who are unable to visit BMC a minimum of 2 times per month
• No history of challenging behaviors in medical appointments involving the presentation of needle(s)
• Patients and caregivers who do not speak English or are unable to utilize interpreter services to complete assessments and surveys

Where it is running

• Boston Medical Center — Boston, Massachusetts, United States (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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