Accessibility statement

E-PLaYS-2: Enhancing Pragmatic Language skills for Young children with Social communication impairment trial;

Evaluation of a computerised intervention to promote communicative development and collaborative skills in children.

Many children experience difficulties with social communication and struggle with conversational tasks such as appropriate use of greetings, conversational turn-taking, understanding of non-literal language, social conventions like politeness, taking the perspective of the other person and responding with relevant information. These difficulties have profound effects on children's social development, mental health, and education and are strongly associated with bullying, isolation and school exclusion. There is a lack of available interventions for such children.

Researchers at the University of Bedfordshire, helped by games designers, teachers, speech and language therapists and children, have developed a novel intervention called E-PLaYS (Enhancing Pragmatic Language skills for Young children with Social communication difficulties). This is a fun computer game, played in pairs, for children aged 5-7 years with social communication difficulties. 

E-PLaYS-2 is a cluster-randomised controlled trial with an internal pilot comparing E-PLaYS plus usual care with usual care alone. The trial aims to find out if the E-PLaYS programme, delivered in primary schools, is effective (and cost-effective) in improving the pragmatic language skills of children aged 5 to 7 years with social and communication difficulties. The trial aims to recruit 504 such children, plus a ‘partner’ child for them to play the game with, in over 84 primary schools.

The trial is led by Dr Suzanne Murphy at the University of Bedfordshire (UoB). UoB is the sponsor and ethical approval for E-PLaYS-2 has been granted by the UoB Institute of Health Research Ethics Committee.

Funding

Funders:

National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)

Public Health Research (PHR) Programme: NIHR131745
Start Date: September 2021
End Date September 2025

Members

YTU Team

External Team

  • Chief Investigator: Dr Suzanne Murphy, University of Bedfordshire

  • Senior Research Fellow: Rosemary Davidson, University of Bedfordshire

  • Co-applicant: Professor Victoria Joffe, University of Essex

  • Co-applicant: Professor David Messer, The Open University

  • Co-applicant: Professor Sarah Crafter, The Open University

  • Co-applicant: Dr Erica Cook, University of Bedfordshire

Contact Details

York Trials Unit

E-PLaYS-2 Trial Team - York Trials Unit

ARRC Building

University of York

Heslington

YORK YO10 5DD

Tel: 01904 321692

Email: ytu-eplays2@york.ac.uk