Cognitive and Adaptive Behavior Outcomes of Behavioral Intervention for Young Children With Intellectual Disability

Abstract

Data from Norway were analyzed to evaluate early behavioral intervention for children with intellectual disabilities. The intervention group (n = 11) received approximately 10 hours per week of behavioral intervention; the eclectic comparison group (n = 14) received treatment as usual. After 1 year, changes in intelligence and adaptive behavior scores were statistically significant in favor of the behavioral intervention group (effect sizes of 1.13 for Intelligence quotient (IQ) change and .95 for change in adaptive behavior composite). Approximately 64% of the children in the behavioral intervention group met objective criteria for reliable change in IQ, whereas 14% in the eclectic comparison group did so. These results suggest that children with intellectual disability may profit from behavioral intervention typically provided for children with autism.

Early Intervention for Children with Intellectual Disabilities: An Update

“…This includes a behaviourally based intervention approach mainly borrowed from the extensive research in this area for children with autism (Eldevik et al . ) and international work involving a skills‐based approach (Shin et al . ).…”

“…However, some recent efforts directed at providing more structured curricula that are comprehensive in nature have been carried out. This includes a behaviourally based intervention approach mainly borrowed from the extensive research in this area for children with autism (Eldevik et al 2010) and international work involving a skills-based approach (Shin et al 2009). Collectively, although small in scale, this work suggested that children with delays can benefit from careful sequencing of learning activities and environmental structure, supporting a very early review of intervention effectiveness indicating that a well defined structure is a critical element in successful programmes (Shonkoff & Hauser-Cram 1987).…”

Reasons for referral, intervention approaches and demographic characteristics of clients with intellectual disability attending adult psychiatric outpatient services in the Kingdom of Bahrain

“…This in itself can improve quality of life and facilitate overall better functioning (Eldevik et al . , ).…”

Perspectives on “Disease” and “Disability” in Child Health: The Case of Childhood Neurodisability

“…All of these are supported by evidence of effectiveness, but none of which is truly specific to any one disorder. ABA is most-widely known for its effectiveness when used with children diagnosed with ASD (48), but ABA, and the associated early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) approach, has been found to be effective in other situations too (49). More broadly, psychosocial and family-based approaches are known to be effective in management of many childhood disorders (50–52).…”