Specific parent-training approaches yielded gains in short-term language function and some challenging behaviors .
Data suggest that subgroups of children displayed more prominent gains across studies , but participant characteristics associated with greater gains are not well understood .
CONTEXT : Early intensive behavioral and developmental interventions for young children with autism spectrum disorders ( ASDs ) may enhance developmental outcomes .
OBJECTIVE : To systematic ally review evidence regarding such interventions for children aged 12 and younger with ASDs .
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 .  Prospect i ve assessment was undertaken before treatment , after 1 year of treatment , and again after 2 years . Groups did not differ on assessment s 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
Specific parent-training approaches yielded gains in short-term language function and some challenging behaviors .
Data suggest that subgroups of children displayed more prominent gains across studies , but participant characteristics associated with greater gains are not well understood .
CONTEXT : Early intensive behavioral and developmental interventions for young children with autism spectrum disorders ( ASDs ) may enhance developmental outcomes .
OBJECTIVE : To systematic ally review evidence regarding such interventions for children aged 12 and younger with ASDs .