title: Effect of community interventions on social-communicative abilities of preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect that different intervention methods have on the social-communicative abilities of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in community settings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Intervention based on applied behaviour analysis was compared with a more specific intervention programme targeting imitation and joint attention (JA) and with treatment as usual in a sample of 85 children with ASD. Objective measures for imitation, JA, pretend play, language, autism severity and parent report measures were used to assess the effect of six months of intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results revealed no differences between the intervention methods. There was, however, great individual variability in outcome within each treatment method.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that it is important to focus on "What works for whom" instead of trying to find a one-size-fits-all-treatment for children with ASD.
authors.affiliation: a Research Group Developmental Disorders, Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology , Ghent University , Ghent , Belgium.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Van der Paelt
authors.affiliation: a Research Group Developmental Disorders, Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology , Ghent University , Ghent , Belgium.
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Warreyn
authors.affiliation: a Research Group Developmental Disorders, Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology , Ghent University , Ghent , Belgium.
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Roeyers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000628:therapy; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018479:Early Intervention, Educational / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007804:Language Development; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D066107:Social Skills; D013808:Therapeutic Community
keywords: Applied behaviour analysis; social communication; treatment