Table 3.
Baseline characteristics and scale’s scores (ITT sample)
| Baseline | All participants (N = 51) |
NG (n = 25) |
CG (n = 26) |
Statistic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age in 2021, M (SD) | 9.43 (2.07) | 9.88 (1.88) | 9.00 (2.19) | t = 1.53, p = .131 |
| Male, No (%) | 35 (80.4) | 19 (86) | 16(72) | x2 = 1.80, p = .291 |
| Diagnosis, No (%) | ||||
| ASD with intellectual impairment | 2(3.9) | 0(0) | 2 (9.5) | x2 = 2.24, p = .326 |
| ASD with language impairment | 28 (54.9) | 14(54.5) | 14 (52.4) | |
| ASD with neurodevelopmental, mental, or behavioural disorder | 21 (41.1) | 11 (45.5) | 10 (38.1) | |
| Concurrent therapy, No (%) | ||||
| Speech therapy | 41 (80.39) | 20 (81) | 21 (81) | x2 = 0.68, p = .536 |
| Occupational therapy | 37(72.54) | 18 (72) | 19 (76) | |
| Physiotherapy | 11 (21.57) | 6 (22) | 5 (19) | |
| Special education | 14 (27.45) | 7 (27) | 7 (28) | |
| Parent education M(SD) | ||||
| Father | 13.56 (2.41) | 13.96 (2.36) | 13.19 (2.45) | t = 1.12, p = .267 |
| Mother | 14.64 (2.24) | 15.04 (1.54) | 14.27 (2.70) | t = 1.22, p = .226 |
| ADI-R, M (SD) | ||||
| Domain A | 15.04 (8.32) | 15.92 (8.17) | 14.19 (8.52) | t = .73, p = .464 |
| Domain B (V) | 11.10 (7.41) | 11.60 (6.92) | 10.61 (7.95) | t = .47, p = .640 |
| Domain B (NV) | 5.27 (4.02) | 5.36 (3.79) | 5.19 (4.30) | t = .29, p = .884 |
| CARS-2, M (SD) | ||||
| Total score | 29.50 (6.99) | 30.48 (6.61) | 28.60 (7.33) | t = .95, p = .346 |
| WISC-IV, M (SD) | ||||
| IQ Quotient | 83.05 (12.44) | 81.37(13.09) | 84.74 (11.87) | t = -.83, p = .412 |
| Verbal Comprehension | 86.46 (14.55) | 86.44(15.10) | 86.47 (14.42) | t = -.00, p = .995 |
| Visuospatial Comprehension | 90.50 (10.89) | 90.47(11.09) | 90.53 (11.00) | t = -.01, p = .988 |
| Fluid Reasoning | 88.97 (12.77) | 89.94(15.11) | 88.11 (10.59) | t = .42, p = .673 |
| Working Memory | 80.06 (14.22) | 75.65(11.68) | 84.00 (15.40) | t = -1.21,p = .078 |
| Processing Speed | 83.11 (13.79) | 77.47(14.17) | 88.16(11.57) | t = -2.48,p = .018 |
| NEPSY-2, M (SD) | ||||
| Affect Recognition | 18.40 (6.49) | 16.95 (6.84) | 20.00 (5.83) | t = -1.54, p = .131 |
| Affect Recognition Scaled | 6.86 (3.59) | 5.95 (3.36) | 7.85 (3.67) | t = -1.74, p = .088 |
| Theory of Mind Verbal | 11.17 (4.89) | 10.67 (4.79) | 11.70 (5.08) | t = -.67, p = .506 |
| Theory of Mind Contextual | 3.12 (1.55) | 3.14 (1.39) | 3.10 (1.74) | t = .08, p = .931 |
| Theory of Mind Total | 14.54 (6.10) | 13.81 (5.52) | 15.53 (6.71) | t = -.77, p = .441 |
| Inhibition Total Errors | 20.11 (12.84) | 22.92 (11.80) | 17.50 (13.65) | t = -.08, p = .936 |
| Shapes Total Errors | 9.30 (6.57) | 11.13 (6.07) | 7.21 (6.71) | t = 1.67, p = .105 |
| Arrows Total Errors | 10.33 (7.92) | 10.50 (8.01) | 10.14 (8.11) | t = .12, p = .905 |
| Inhibition/Naming Completion Time | 62.44 (60.66) | 68.25(70.30) | 57.07 (51.03) | t = .64, p = .521 |
| Inhibition/Naming Combined Scaled | 7.66 (3.63) | 7.62 (2.63) | 7.69 (3.42) | t = -.06, p = .951 |
| Inhibition/Inhibition Completion Time | 102.29 (46.82) | 111.31 (61.74) | 94.47 (28.62) | t = .94, p = .352 |
| Ιnhibition/Inhibition Combined Scaled | 8.64 (4.19) | 6.92 (3.30) | 10.13 (4.40) | t = -2.15, p = .041 |
| Inhibition/Switching Completion Time | 77.70 (77.76) | 87.54 (81.12) | 62.84 (74.11) | t = 1.21, p = .266 |
| Inhibition/Switching Combined Scaled | 7.33 (3.91) | 6.87 (3.91) | 7.92 (4.01) | t = -1.20, p = .241 |
| Child Behaviour Check List, M (SD) | ||||
| Internalising problems | 57.96 (16.21) | 59.60 (16.09) | 56.38 (16.49) | t = .70, p = .485 |
| Externalising problems | 51.74 (15.18) | 54.24 (15.05) | 49.35 (15.21) | t = 1.15,p = .254 |
| Total problems | 60.20 (9.48) | 60.76 (10.91) | 59.64 (8.00) | t = .41, p = .681 |
| Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, M(SD) | ||||
| Peer Relationships | 5.92 (9.72) | 5.84 (9.81) | 6.00 (9.84) | t = -.05, p = .954 |
| Prosocial Behaviour | 8.06 (10.19) | 8.40 (10.11) | 7.83 (10.47) | t = .23, p = .817 |
| Total difficulties | 13.98 (5.09) | 14.24 (4.88) | 13.73 (5.38) | t = .35, p = .509 |