Clinical Research Directory

Inspiration From Eye-tracking Data: Investigating the Impact of Combining Specific Environmental Features and Power Mobility Training

This study has three main objectives. First, the investigators want to see how using a lightweight head-mounted eye tracker (HMET) can help to understand looking behavior, visual focus, and social interaction in toddlers with motor delays during ROC-Stand training. The investigators will compare the effects of training with specific environmental features to training without these features and to conventional therapy. Second, the investigators will evaluate outcomes related to body function, daily activities, and participation, along with family perceptions and involvement, using the ICF framework. Third, the investigators will explore how temperament, motivation, looking behavior, and caregiver-child interactions relate to each other in these toddlers across different training programs. Based on previous research, the investigators plan to recruit 30 toddlers with motor delays and randomly assign them to one of three groups: ROC-Stand with specific environmental features (ROC-Stand(SE)), ROC-Stand without these features (ROC-Stand(NSE)), and conventional therapy (Control), with 10 toddlers in each group. Each toddler will receive a total of 48 hours of training over 24 weeks, with two 120-minute sessions per week-12 weeks of intervention followed by a 12-week follow-up. The participants will also continue their regular therapy during the study. The HMET will record visual and manual behaviors for 20 minutes each week, and standardized assessments of body function, mobility, psychosocial function, family perception, and participation will be done before the intervention, after the intervention, and at the end of the follow-up. The findings from this study will help identify key environmental factors for early power mobility training and provide families and therapists with a clear, structured approach to using these techniques.

Long-term Effectiveness of Different Dosage Parameters of Early Powered Mobility Training for Toddlers With Motor Delays

The three purposes of this study are: 1) to compare the effects on looking behaviors, visual fixation and social interaction through the use of a head- mounted, eye-tracker in toddlers with motor disabilities after receiving different intensity levels of ROC-Stand training; 2) to compare short-term and long-term outcomes in terms of body function, activity and participation across the ICF framework, family perceptions and participation; and 3) to identify factors that predict individual differences in outcomes for toddlers with motor delays with the two dosing protocols. Based on the power analysis from the pilot study, the investigators will recruit 30 toddlers with motor delays and further randomly assign the participants to the 3 groups with the same total amount of 48-hour training, including 2 ROC-Stand groups and 1 conventional therapy group, i.e., an intensity level of 2-hour session of ROC-Stand training (ROC-Stand(2-hr)) (n=10), an intensity level of 1-hour session of ROC-Stand training (ROC-Stand(1-hr)) (n=10), and an intensity level of 1-hour session of conventional therapy (Control(1-hr)) (n=10). The training frequency for the 3 groups is 2 sessions/per week. The whole study duration will be 1 year. The head-mounted cameras worn by the participants will record the visual and interactive behaviors for 20 minutes/per week during intervention. Standardized assessments are provided for a total 4 times, including the time before training (T1), 3 months following initiation of training (T2), 6 months following initiation of training (T3), and the end of a year following initiation of training (T4). Assessments include body function, activity and participation across the ICF domains, family perception and participation. The findings of this study will provide guidelines for adjusting the dosage parameters of early powered mobility depending on each child's and family's needs.