Behavioural and Skill-Based Early Interventions in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders
GMS Health Technology Assessment
Weinmann, S., Schwarzbach, C., et al. (2009).
GMS Health Technology Assessment, 5, Doc10.
This systematic review investigates the clinical effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and safety of behavioral and skill-based early interventions used with children on the autism spectrum as well as legal, social, and ethical aspects associated with implementation of those interventions.
Not stated
2000 and beyond
Controlled studies
14
"There was weak evidence that improvements in social communication and language observed in studies with [the Picture Exchange Communication System] PECS or [Responsive education and prelinguistic milieu teaching] RPMT is effectively transferred into childrens' daily life" (p. 6).
Due to the lack of high-quality comparative studies, the authors were unable to conclusively determine the comparative effectiveness of early intervention studies in children on the autism spectrum. Results, however, indicated the following: <br />
<ul>
<li>Compared to treatment as usual, systematic parent training was superior in improving communication.</li>
<li>Included studies demonstrated weak evidence for the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) or Responsive education and prelinguistic milieu teaching (RPMT) in the generalization of social communication and language gains.</li>
</ul>
This review found that children on the autism spectrum participating "in behavioural intervention programmes with a frequency of at least 20 hours per week can achieve improvements in cognitive and functional domains ... [However,] a minimal necessary intensity of interventions to achieve positive outcomes cannot be derived from literature" (p. 7).
