title: Communication intervention for individuals with Down syndrome: Systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A systematic review was conducted to identify effective intervention strategies for communication in individuals with Down syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  We updated and extended previous reviews by examining: (1) participant characteristics; (2) study characteristics; (3) characteristics of effective interventions (e.g., strategies and intensity); (4) whether interventions are tailored to the Down syndrome behavior phenotype; and (5) the effectiveness (i.e., percentage nonoverlapping data and Cohen's d) of interventions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-seven studies met inclusion criteria. The majority of studies used behavior analytic strategies and produced moderate gains in communication targets. Few interventions were tailored to the needs of the Down syndrome behavior phenotype.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that behavior analytic strategies are a promising approach, and future research should focus on replicating the effects of these interventions with greater methodological rigor.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Counseling , College of Education, Michigan State University, Educational Psychology & Special Education , East Lansing , MI , USA.|b Queens College and The Graduate Center , City University of New York , New York , NY , USA.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5906-3880
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Neil
authors.affiliation: b Queens College and The Graduate Center , City University of New York , New York , NY , USA.|c Department of Psychology , Queens College , Flushing , NY , USA.
authors.forename: Emily A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D000066530:Neurological Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Communication; Down syndrome; intensity; intervention; language; meta-analysis