The small number of studies included in the present study limited the ability to make inferences when comparing the three models and investigating the strengths and weaknesses of each type of intervention with respect to important outcomes .
Since the outcome of ' reciprocity of social interaction towards others ' could be a dependent variable that might be context -bound to interactions with the child 's parent , we can not conclude the interventions for pre-school children with ASD have significant effects on a generalized skill to engage in reciprocal interactions with others .
However , the outcomes of ' reciprocity of social interaction towards others ' and ' parental synchrony ' may be promising targets for interventions involving pre-school children with ASD .
BACKGROUND There has an increasing number of published trials on psychosocial intervention programmes for pre-school children with autism spectrum disorder ( ASD ) .
To achieve better quality of unbiased evidence for the effectiveness of ASD interventions , it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive review that covers studies with adequate quality st and ards , such as r and omised controlled trials ( RCTs ) , and different types of intervention In this study , we categorize interventions for ASD as behavioural , social-communication focused , and multimodal developmental based on Howlin 's classification of early interventions for children with ASD .
The aim of this study was to compare these three models and investigate the strengths and weaknesses of each type of intervention and to identify the approaches that contribute to a successful outcome for children with autism .
TEACCH-based group social skills training for children with high-functioning autism: a pilot randomized controlled trial
Background Although social skills training programs for people with high-functioning autism ( HFA ) are widely practice d , the st and ardization of curricula , the examination of clinical effectiveness , and the evaluation of the feasibility of future trials have yet to be done in Asian countries . To compensate for this problem , a Japanese pilot r and omized controlled trial ( RCT ) of the Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication H and icapped Children (TEACCH)-based group social skills training for children with HFA and their mothers was conducted . Methods Eleven children with HFA , aged 5–6 years , and their mothers were r and omly assigned to the TEACCH program ( n=5 ) or a waiting-list control group ( n=6 ) . The program involved comprehensive group intervention and featured weekly 2-hour sessions , totaling 20 sessions over six months . The adaptive behaviors and social reciprocity of the children , parenting stress , and parent – child interactions were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Question naire ( SDQ ) , Parenting Stress Index ( PSI ) , Beck depression inventory-II ( BDI-II ) , and Interaction Rating Scale ( IRS ) . Results Through this pilot trial , the intervention and evaluation of the program has been shaped . There were no dropouts from the program and the mothers ’ satisfaction was high . The outcome measurements improved more in the program group than in the control group , with moderate effect sizes ( SDQ , 0.71 ; PSI , 0.58 ; BDI-II , 0.40 ; and IRS , 0.69 ) . This pilot trial also implied that this program is more beneficial for high IQ children and mothers with low stress than for those who are not . Conclusion We have st and ardized the TEACCH program , confirmed the feasibility of a future trial , and successfully estimated the positive effect size . These findings will contribute to a larger trial in the future and to forthcoming systematic review s with meta-analyses . Trial registration
The small number of studies included in the present study limited the ability to make inferences when comparing the three models and investigating the strengths and weaknesses of each type of intervention with respect to important outcomes .
Since the outcome of ' reciprocity of social interaction towards others ' could be a dependent variable that might be context -bound to interactions with the child 's parent , we can not conclude the interventions for pre-school children with ASD have significant effects on a generalized skill to engage in reciprocal interactions with others .
However , the outcomes of ' reciprocity of social interaction towards others ' and ' parental synchrony ' may be promising targets for interventions involving pre-school children with ASD .
BACKGROUND There has an increasing number of published trials on psychosocial intervention programmes for pre-school children with autism spectrum disorder ( ASD ) .
To achieve better quality of unbiased evidence for the effectiveness of ASD interventions , it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive review that covers studies with adequate quality st and ards , such as r and omised controlled trials ( RCTs ) , and different types of intervention In this study , we categorize interventions for ASD as behavioural , social-communication focused , and multimodal developmental based on Howlin 's classification of early interventions for children with ASD .
The aim of this study was to compare these three models and investigate the strengths and weaknesses of each type of intervention and to identify the approaches that contribute to a successful outcome for children with autism .