Clinical Effectiveness of AAC Intervention in Minimally Verbal Children With ASD: A Systematic Review
NeuroRegulation
Aftab, A., Sehgal, C. A., et al. (2023).
NeuroRegulation, 10(4), 239-252.
This systematic review explores communication and verbal expression outcomes following augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) interventions for minimally verbal children on the autism spectrum.
None declared
From database inception to January 2022
Randomized controlled trials, non–randomized controlled trials, and single-case experimental designs
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The following findings were reported regarding AAC interventions for minimally verbal children on the autism spectrum:<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #333333;">In a majority of the participants, AAC interventions were associated with significant gains in various communication outcomes (e.g., speech output, requesting, gesture, eye contact, number of communication turns). </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333;">While a reduction in maladaptive behaviors was reported in one study, this reduction may not have been associated with the provision of treatment (i.e., behaviors were not stable at baseline). </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333;">Based upon limited evidence, high-tech systems (e.g., visual scene displays, speech generation devices) were found to be more effective than low-tech systems (e.g., picture exchange communication system, sign language and key word sign). </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="color: #333333;">These findings should be interpreted with caution due to small sample sizes, heterogeneity in study designs, the reduced strength of available evidence, and an overall paucity of research. Further research is needed to determine the true effect of AAC interventions for minimally verbal children on the autism spectrum. </span>
