Randomized, Controlled Trial of a Comprehensive Program for Young Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

This randomized, controlled trial, comparing the Comprehensive Autism Program (CAP) and business as usual programs, studied outcomes for 3-5 year old students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Participants included 84 teachers and 302 students with ASD and their parents. CAP utilized specialized curricula and training components to implement specific evidence-based practices both at school and home. A comprehensive set of outcome areas was studied. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to estimate the treatment impact. CAP had small positive impacts on the students' receptive language (effect size of .13) and on their social skills as rated by teachers (effect size of .19). Treatment effects were moderated by severity of ASD.

Cognitive Rehabilitation of Adaptive Behavior in Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Meta-Analysis

“…The number of participants in each study ranged from 30 to 302. Participants in four of the studies were affected by ASD [ 19 – 22 ]; those in one study were diagnosed with GDD [ 23 ], and those in another singular study were diagnosed with ADHD [ 24 ]. As can be seen in Table 1 , intervention of cognitive function in each of the studies included a comprehensive autism program [ 22 ], SENSE Theatre intervention [ 19 ], interpersonal synchrony [ 21 ], early start Denver model intervention [ 20 ], institutional-based therapy program [ 23 ], and visuospatial working memory training [ 24 ].…”

“…All studies used same assessment tools to evaluate adaptive behavior: Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales [ 20 , 22 ], Adaptive Behavior Assessment System [ 19 ], socially engaged imitation [ 21 ], Comprehensive Developmental Inventory for Infants and Toddlers [ 23 ], and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function [ 24 ] for assessing behavior function ( Table 1 ).…”

“…Intervention of cognitive function in each of the studies included a comprehensive autism program, which is used to teach communication and social behavior skills [ 22 ]. In one study, a theatre intervention was used to improve social relationships and adaptive behaviors through video modeling and concentration training by having participants visually trace from an opposite screen [ 19 ].…”

Annual Research Review: Early intervention for infants and young children with, or at‐risk of, autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review

“…Another key issue was sample size (Figures 3 and Figure S1), and therefore power to detect a treatment effect. Only seven RCTs included over 100 participants, one of which had three treatment arms and therefore low numbers in each comparison group (Tonge et al, 2014), and three of which were larger, cluster randomised trials (Shire et al, 2017;Strain & Bovey, 2011;Young et al, 2016). Cluster randomisation was also utilised in two smaller studies (Whalen et al, 2010;Wong, 2013).…”

Rational skepticism: A scientific review of Witts' (2018) criticisms of the PEAK relational training system

“…In C15, Witts claimed that correlations with the EOWPVT‐4 and ROWPVT‐4 do not support the convergent validity of PEAK because of some forms of psychometric research that had not yet been published on the EOWPVT‐4 and ROWPVT‐4. If Witts' statement was true (it is not; see Young, Falco, & Hanita, ) regarding the state of psychometric research on the EOWPVT‐4 and ROWPVT‐4, this still commits to moving the goalposts, as the authors claimed the purpose of their study was to assess for convergence with a commonly used picture vocabulary test that has established some psychometric support. C16 was sound and was already addressed as a limitation by Malkin, Dixon, Speelman, and Luke ().…”