Efficacy of low intensity, therapist-implemented Project ImPACT for increasing social communication skills in young children with ASD.
Project ImPACT is a Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention (NDBI) for young children with ASD. Preliminary research supports its feasibility and efficacy as a parent-mediated intervention; however, its efficacy as a low-intensity, therapist-implemented intervention is unclear. A single-case, multiple-baseline design evaluated the effect of 2 h per week of therapist-implemented Project ImPACT on social engagement, language, and play in nine children with ASD. Language and play skills were targeted separately for five children and together for four children. Children increased their rates of social engagement and language when language or play was the sole target and when language and play were targeted together; however, gains in play skills were evident only when they were targeted separately. This study provides support for the efficacy of the Project ImPACT when implemented by therapists at a low intensity and suggests the way in which skills are targeted can affect child learning.
a Department of Psychology , Michigan State University , East Lansing , MI , USA.
Brooke R
BR
Ingersoll
b AARTS Center , Rush University Medical Center , Chicago , IL , USA.
Allison L
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1357-5829
AL
Wainer
a Department of Psychology , Michigan State University , East Lansing , MI , USA.
Natalie I
NI
Berger
c Nisonger Center , The Ohio State University , Columbus , OH , USA.
Katherine M
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0542-6049
KM
Walton
D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000628:therapy*; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D066107:Social Skills
Autism spectrum disorder; intervention; preschool; social communication