CONCLUSION Non-specialist mediated interventions for autism spectrum disorder demonstrate effectiveness across a range of outcomes for children with autism and their caregivers
INTRODUCTION In recent years , several non-specialist mediated interventions have been developed and tested to address problematic symptoms associated with autism .
These can be implemented with a fraction of cost required for specialist delivered interventions .
This review represents a robust evidence of clinical effectiveness of these interventions in improving the social , motor and communication deficits among children with autism .
The Feasibility and Effectiveness of PASS Plus, A Lay Health Worker Delivered Comprehensive Intervention for Autism Spectrum Disorders: Pilot RCT in a Rural Low and Middle Income Country Setting
The treatment gap for autism globally is high . Our previous PASS intervention , delivered by community based lay health workers , showed effectiveness . This article reports the development and evaluation of a new “ PASS ‘ Plus ’ ” intervention in a rural population in India . Using formative research methods , we supplemented the PASS intervention with additional ( Plus ) modules to address autism comorbidities . This is the first time that a rigorous methodology has been used to evaluate autism symptom outcomes in a low and middle‐income country setting . 40 parent – child dyads were recruited in a pilot r and omized controlled trial against usual care ( mean age 65 months ( 34 boys ) ; n = 19 PASS Plus , n = 21 UC ) . 89 % of intervention families partially or entirely completed the 12‐session intervention . Intention to treat analysis showed a reduction in mean scores of autism symptom severity , though the confidence interval contains zero , ( adjusted mean difference AMD −2.42 95 % CI −7.75 , 2.92 ; ES 0.22 ) ; large treatment effects on proximal outcomes of proportion of parent synchronous responses ( AMD 0.35 ; 95 % CI 0.18 , 0.52 ; effect size ES 3.97 ) and proportion of child communication initiations with parent ( AMD 0·17 ; 95 % CI 0.03 , 0.32 ; ES 1.02 ) . Confidence intervals for effects on mutual shared attention ( AMD 0.10 ; 95 % CI −0.07 , 0.27 ; ES 0.5 ) and co‐morbid symptoms ( AMD −9.0 ; 95 % CI −24.26 , 6.26 ; ES 0.32 ) contained zero . There were significant effects to improve parental mental health . PASS Plus shows good feasibility and adds to the evidence of the effectiveness of task sharing complex autism interventions to lay health workers in India . Autism Res 2019 , 12 : 328–339 © 2018 International Society for Autism Research , Wiley Periodicals ,
CONCLUSION Non-specialist mediated interventions for autism spectrum disorder demonstrate effectiveness across a range of outcomes for children with autism and their caregivers
INTRODUCTION In recent years , several non-specialist mediated interventions have been developed and tested to address problematic symptoms associated with autism .
These can be implemented with a fraction of cost required for specialist delivered interventions .
This review represents a robust evidence of clinical effectiveness of these interventions in improving the social , motor and communication deficits among children with autism .