A randomized controlled trial testing the effect of the video game ‘Mindlight’ on anxiety symptoms in children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.

In this randomized controlled trial it will be investigated whether the intervention game ‘Mindlight’ is effective in reducing anxiety symptoms among 8-16 year-old children with an autism spectrum disorder. Participating children will be randomly assigned to the experimental and control condition. Children in the experimental condition will play Mindlight for one hour per week during six weeks. Children in the control condition will play a control game for one hour per week during six weeks. Assessments of primary and secondary outcomes will be conducted at baseline, at post-intervention and at 3-months follow-up.

In the present study, it will be investigated whether the game Mindlight is effective in decreasing anxiety symptoms of a Dutch clinical sample of children with an autism spectrum disorder in the age of 8-16 years old. The study is a randomized controlled trial with two conditions (experimental and control group). It is expected that the children who play Mindlight (experimental group) will show lower levels of anxiety symptoms at follow-up, compared to the children in the control group.

1. Before the first session (baseline)

2. After the last session (post-intervention)

3. Three months after the last session (3-months follow-up)

The children with an autism spectrum disorder and with comorbid elevated anxiety symptoms are randomly assigned to the experimental or control condition. The children in the experimental condition will play Mindlight for one hour per week during six weeks. The children in the control condition will play a control game for one hour per week during six weeks. Moreover, both children in the experimental and control condition will fill in questionnaires before the first gaming session, after the last gaming session and at 3-months follow-up. Parents and teachers will also fill in questionnaires on the same time points. Anxiety symptoms will be the primary outcome. Finally, parents will undergo a semi-structured interview (ADIS-P) before the first gaming session and at 3-months follow-up to assess whether Mindlight has an effect on the presence of clinical anxiety disorders in the participating children.