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 .
Randomized, Controlled Trial of an Intervention for Toddlers With Autism: The Early Start Denver Model
OBJECTIVE : To conduct a r and omized , controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of the Early Start Denver Model ( ESDM ) , a comprehensive developmental behavioral intervention , for improving outcomes of toddlers diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder ( ASD ) . METHODS : Forty-eight children diagnosed with ASD between 18 and 30 months of age were r and omly assigned to 1 of 2 groups : ( 1 ) ESDM intervention , which is based on developmental and applied behavioral analytic principles and delivered by trained therapists and parents for 2 years ; or ( 2 ) referral to community providers for intervention commonly available in the community . RESULTS : Compared with children who received community-intervention , children who received ESDM showed significant improvements in IQ , adaptive behavior , and autism diagnosis . Two years after entering intervention , the ESDM group on average improved 17.6 st and ard score points ( 1 SD : 15 points ) compared with 7.0 points in the comparison group relative to baseline scores . The ESDM group maintained its rate of growth in adaptive behavior compared with a normative sample of typically developing children . In contrast , over the 2-year span , the comparison group showed greater delays in adaptive behavior . Children who received ESDM also were more likely to experience a change in diagnosis from autism to pervasive developmental disorder , not otherwise specified , than the comparison group . CONCLUSIONS : This is the first r and omized , controlled trial to demonstrate the efficacy of a comprehensive developmental behavioral intervention for toddlers with ASD for improving cognitive and adaptive behavior and reducing severity of ASD diagnosis . Results of this study underscore the importance of early detection of and intervention in autism
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 .