NCT07076264Recruiting
Water Competency Intervention in Autism
Water Competency Intervention for Children on the Autism Spectrum: The AquOTic Hybrid Effectiveness Implementation Trial
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 7 Oct 2026
Brief summary (registry, in English)
AquOTic is an evidence-based, occupational therapy-led intervention designed to enhance water competency and swim safety skills in children on the autism spectrum. The 10-week program consists of weekly 60-minute group sessions, each including six children paired in a 1:1 ratio with an interventionist. Sessions follow a structured routine involving six rotating stations, targeting various swim and safety skills, with the flexibility for individualized support by the interventionist. Overall, this study has 3 major aims. The first aim evaluates the effectiveness of the AquOTic intervention in improving water competency and swim skills, while comparing outcomes between two implementation models: professional student interventionists (occupational and physical therapy students) and trained community-based interventionists. A total of 108 autistic children will be enrolled and randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) AquOTic with professional student interventionists, (2) AquOTic with community interventionists, or (3) a control group receiving no AquOTic intervention. The second aim explores the mediators and moderators of the intervention outcomes to assess fidelity and efficacy. The third aim identifies the cost and resources associated with AquOTic. A cost analysis will be conducted to evaluate the resources required for implementation and to inform the development of a scalable, cost-effective drowning prevention strategy for autistic populations.
- Status (registry)
- Recruiting
- Study type
- Interventional
- Enrollment
- 108 (estimated)
- First submitted
- 14 Jul 2025
- Start date
- 19 Sept 2025
- Primary completion date
- 30 Apr 2029
- Lead sponsor
- Ohio State University
- Diseases
- Autism
- NCT number
- NCT07076264
What you commit to
- Study type: Interventional
- Planned participants: 108
- From 19 Sept 2025 to the primary completion date, 30 Apr 2029
- 1 site in 1 country
- Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them
Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study, not your situation.
Who cannot take part
Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.
Other illness
- Open wounds or infectious skin diseases
- Allergy to chlorine
- Severe co-occurring motor impairments or neurological conditions such as uncontrolled seizures, Rett's or Angelman's syndrome
- Open wounds or infectious diseases
Other
- Children who demonstrate swim proficiency, as defined by the ability to tread water for 1 minute or move the body through the water without flotation
- The family is unable to commit to the sessions or evaluations
- Interventionists (n=64)
- Failed background check
- Unable to commit to Basic Swim Instructor and AquOTic training (\~40 hours) and 10 AquOTic sessions (20 hours)
Who the study is looking for
- Educational or medical diagnosis of autism
- Age between 5 - 9 years
- Having vision and hearing within normal limits with or without corrective modifications
- Aged 18 or over
- Demonstrate swim proficiency, as defined by the ability to tread water for 1 minute and move the body through the water without flotation for 25 yards
Criteria the registry did not label
- Children Participants (n=108)
Age in the registry: 5 years to 9 years · Sex: All · Does not accept healthy volunteers
Sites (1)
Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.
| Site | City | Country | Site status |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Ohio State University Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Columbus | United States | Recruiting |
This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.