Early intervention programs for toddlers with Autism Spectrum Disorder: a systematic review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v10i14.21935Keywords:
Autism Spectrum Disorders; Autism; Early intervention; Toddlers; Parents.Abstract
This review identified 8 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated early intervention (EI) programs for infants in the age-group 18-48 months who either had been diagnosed with, or were considered at risk for, autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The studies were summarized in terms of participant characteristics, intervention characteristics, rigor of study/research and outcomes. Intervention characteristics included the provision of training to parents. All the studies used RCT design, with control subjects who were either toddlers of typical development (TD) or toddlers with ASD following “treatment as usual” (TAU) or another treatment, and all were rated as strong in terms of quality/rigor. Positive results were recorded for parental acceptability and satisfaction, and reduction of parenting stress. In most of the studies, the social communication and developmental skills of the toddlers were enhanced. We conclude that EI programs for ASD show promise, and may be beneficial for both the toddlers and the parents, but the limited number of RCTs and the wide variety in intervention programs and assessment instruments used indicates the need for additional research to evaluate the specific benefits.
References
(References marked with an asterisk indicate studies included in the literature review)
Ahn, E., & Kang, H. (2018). Introduction to systematic review and meta-analysis. Korean journal of anesthesiology, 71(2), 103–112. https://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.2018.71.2.103
Bradshaw, J., Steiner, A. M., Gengoux, G., & Koegel, L. K. (2015). Feasibility and Effectiveness of Very Early Intervention for Infants At-Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45(3), 778–794. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-014-2235-2
*Carter, A. S., Messinger, D. S., Stone, W. L., Celimli, S., Nahmias, A. S. & Yoder, P. (2011). A randomized controlled trial of Hanen’s ‘More Than Words’ in toddlers with early autism symptoms. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 52(7), 741–752. Doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2011.02395.x.
Granpeesheh, D., Dixon, D. R., Tarbox, J., Kaplan, A. M., & Wilke, A. E. (2009). The effects of age and treatment intensity on behavioral intervention outcomes for children with autism spectrum disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 3(4), 1014–1022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2009.06.007
Green, J., Pickles, A., Pasco, G., Bedford, R., Wan, M. W., Elsabbagh, M., Slonims, V., Gliga, T., Jones, E., Cheung, C., Charman, T., Johnson, M., Baron-Cohen, S., Bolton, P., Davies, K., Liew, M., Fernandes,J., Gammer, I., Salomone, E., … & McNally, J. (2017). Randomised trial of a parent‐mediated intervention for infants at high risk for autism: Longitudinal outcomes to age 3 years. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 58(12), 1330-1340. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.12728
Howlin, P., Magiati, I., & Charman, T. (2009). Systematic review of early intensive behavioral interventions for children with autism. American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilities, 114(1), 23-41. DOI: 10.1352/2009.114:23;nd41
*Ibanez, L. V., Kobak, K., Swanson, A., Wallace, L., Warren, Z. & Stone, W. L. (2018). Enhancing Interactions during Daily Routines: A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Web-Based Tutorial for Parents of Young Children with ASD. Autism Research, 11(4), 667-678. doi: 10.1002/aur.1919.
Kaiser, A. P., & Hester, P. P. (1994). Generalized effects of enhanced milieu teaching. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 37(6), 1320–1340. doi: 10.1044/jshr.3706.1320.
*Kasari, C., Siller, M., Huynha, L. N., Shiha, W., Swansonb, M., Hellemanna,G. S., Sugar, C. S. (2014). Randomized controlled trial of parental responsiveness intervention for toddlers at high risk for autism. Infant behavior and Development, 37(4), 711-721. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2014.08.007
*Kasari, C., Gulsrud, A., Paparella, T., Hellemann, G., & Berry, K. (2015). Randomized Comparative Efficacy Study of Parent-Mediated Interventions for Toddlers With Autism. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 83(3), 554 –563. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0039080
Koegel, R. L., & Koegel, L. K. (2012). The PRT pocket guide: Pivotal response treatment for autism spectrum disorders. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing Company.
Landa, R. J. (2018). Efficacy of early interventions for infants and young children with, and at risk for, autism spectrum disorders. International Review of Psychiatry, 30(1), 25–39. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2018.1432574
Landa, R. J., & Kalb, L. G. (2012). Long-term outcomes of toddlers with autism spectrum disorders exposed to short-term intervention. Pediatrics, 130(Supplement 2), S186-S190. doi: 10.1542/peds.2012-0900Q.
Mottron, L. (2017). Should we change targets and methods of early intervention in autism, in favor of a strengths-based education?. European child & adolescent psychiatry, 26(7), 815-825. doi: 10.1007/s00787-017-0955-5.
*Oosterling, I., Visser, J., Swinkels, S., Rommelse, N., Donders, R., Woudenberg, T., Roos, S., van der Gaag, R. J., & Buitelaar, J. (2010). Randomized Controlled Trial of the Focus Parent Training for Toddlers with Autism: 1-Year Outcome. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 40(12), 1447–1458. doi: 10.1007/s10803-010-1004-0
Pierce, K., Courchesne, E., & Bacon, E. (2016). To screen or not to screen universally for autism is not the question: Why the task force got it wrong. The Journal of Pediatrics, 176, 182– 194. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2016.06.004
Reichow, B. (2012). Overview of meta-analyses on early intensive behavioral intervention for young children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 42(4), 512–520. doi: 10.1007/s10803-011-1218-9.
Reichow, B., Volkmar, F. R., & Cicchetti, D. V. (2008). Development of the evaluative method for evaluating and determining evidence-based practices in autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38(7), 1311–1319. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-007-0517-7
Rogers, S. J., & Dawson, G. (2010). Early start Denver model for young children with autism: Promoting language, learning, and engagement. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
*Rogers, S. J., Estes, A., Vismara, L., Munson, J., Zierhut, C., Greenson, J., Dawson, G., Rocha, M., Sugar, C., Senturk, D., Whelan, F., & Talbott, M. (2018). Enhancing Low-Intensity Coaching in Parent Implemented Early Start Denver Model Intervention for Early Autism: A Randomized Comparison Treatment Trial. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(2), 632-646. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-018-3740-5
Rogers, S. J., Estes, A., Lord, C., Vismara, L., Winter, J., Fitzpatrick, A., Guo, M., & Dawson, G. (2012). Effects of a brief Early Start Denver Model (ESDM)-based parent intervention on toddlers at risk for autism spectrum disorders: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 51(10), 1052–1065. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2012.08.003
Schreibman, L., Dawson, G., Stahmer, A. C., Landa, R., Rogers, S. J., McGee, G. G., Kasari, C., Ingersoll, B., Kaiser, A.P., Bruinsma, Y., McNerney, E., Wetherby, A., & Halladay, A. (2015). Naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions: Empirically validated treatments for autism spectrum disorder. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 45(8), 2411-2428. Doi: 10.1007/s10803-015-2407-8
Stahmer, A. C., Collings, N. M., & Palinkas, L. A. (2005). Early intervention practices for children with autism: Descriptions from community providers. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 20(2), 66–79. DOI: 10.1177/10883576050200020301
*Turner-Brown, L., Hume, K., Boyd, B. A., & Kainz, K. (2019). Preliminary Efficacy of Family Implemented TEACCH for Toddlers: Effects on Parents and Their Toddlers with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(7), 2685–2698. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-016-2812-7
*Welterlin, A., Turner-Brown, L. M., Harris, S., Mesibov, G., & Delmolino, L. (2012). The home teacching program for toddlers with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 42(9), 1827–1835. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-011-1419-2
Zachor, D. A., Ben-Itzchak, E., Rabinovich, A. L., & Lahat, E. (2007). Change in autism core symptoms with intervention. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 1(4), 304–317. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2006.12.001
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2021 Elpis Papaefstathiou; Maria Zygopoulou ; Eleni Gkiolnta; Kyriaki Sarri; Christine K. Syriopoulou-Delli
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
1) Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
2) Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
3) Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.