Therapies for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders
Warren, Z., Veenstra-VanderWeele, J., et al. (2011).
Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, (Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 26. (Prepared by the Vanderbilt Evidence-based Practice Center under Contract No. 290-2007-10065-I). AHRQ Publication No. 11-EHC029-EF), 908.
This systematic review compares the effect of various interventions (e.g., behavioral, educational, medical, allied health, alternative) to the effect of no treatment, placebo, or other treatment on functional outcomes in children, 2-12 years old, on the autism spectrum. Conclusions for select interventions covered in this review (i.e., early intensive behavioral and developmental interventions, sensory integration interventions, auditory integration interventions, parent training, and social skills interventions) are not included in this summary because more current findings are provided in an updated review (see Weitlauf et al., 2014, and Weitlauf et al., 2017 cited in the Notes on This Article section at the bottom of the page).
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
2000-2010
Randomized controlled trials; prospective cohort studies; retrospective cohort studies; non-randomized controlled trials; case-control studies; case series
159
"The strength of evidence is insufficient to provide confidence in observed improvements in cognitive outcomes with educational interventions, including the TEACCH intervention, and there is insufficient evidence for broad-based educational approaches, often based on applied behavior analysis (ABA) principles and computer-based approaches" (p. ES-10).
"Data from studies in this review were insufficient at this time to rate the strength of evidence for language-focused interventions" (p. 111).
