Early intensive behavioral intervention: outcomes for children with autism and their parents after two years.
An intervention group (n=23) of preschool children with autism was identified on the basis of parent preference for early intensive behavioral intervention and a comparison group (n=21) identified as receiving treatment as usual. Prospective assessment was undertaken before treatment, after 1 year of treatment, and again after 2 years. Groups did not differ on assessments at baseline but after 2 years, robust differences favoring intensive behavioral intervention were observed on measures of intelligence, language, daily living skills, positive social behavior, and a statistical measure of best outcome for individual children. Measures of parental well-being, obtained at the same three time points, produced no evidence that behavioral intervention created increased problems for either mothers or fathers of children receiving it.
Remington
Bob
B
Centre for Behavioural Research Analysis and intervention in Developmental Disabilities, School of Psychology, University of Southampton, UK. rer1@soton.ac.uk
Hastings
Richard P
RP
Kovshoff
Hanna
H
degli Espinosa
Francesca
F
Jahr
Erik
E
Brown
Tony
T
Alsford
Paula
P
Lemaic
Monika
M
Ward
Nicholas
N
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents; D010507:Periodicity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index