There has been conducted much research on educational interventions for young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) since Ole Ivar Lovaas published his seminal paper in 1987. The amount of reserach is large, and the quality are varying. In a recent article published in Journal of Early Intervention, Strian, Schwartz and Barton has provided a summary of major findins in this research and providing directions for further research.
The article summarizes the finding into themes, Read more…
For those individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) that don´t develop conventional speech at a level that is functional the use of Augmentative and alternative communications (AAC) systems is widely used. There exists a large number of different systems, some with more research support than others. Now Ganz and colleagues have published a meta-analysis of single case research studies on AAC for individuals with ASD.
Their meta-analysis indicates that AAC interventions have large effects on target behavior for individuals with ASD, but the effect were more limited on other areas of functioning. Their analysis also indicates that the effects of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and speech-generating devices were larger than for other picture-based systems.
This meta-analysis provides useful information for parents and professionals when they are designing ACC interventions. The research based analyzed in this article may be useful in choosing and designing individualized interventions.
The goal of all interventions for preschool children with autism is longitudinal and lasting change and improvement. For some years there has been conducted several studies on improvements in joint attention. Now Lawton and Kasari has published a brief report on longitudinal improvements in the quality of joint attention in preschool children with autism.
Int their study they compared three randomized groups of children; joint attention intervention, symbolic play intervention, and a control group. They found that the two intervention groups showed improved quality of joint attention defined as shared positive affect during joint attention as well as shared positive affect and utterances during joint attention, also at follow-up after 12 months.
Typically developing siblings of children with autism may be an important resource as peers and may contribute in several areas of promoting skills. Many siblings will also appreciate the opportunity to contribute and interact with their siblings with autism. Oppenheim-Leaf, Leaf, Sozier, Sheldon and Sherman has conducted a study where they taught typically developing peers that were likely to promote social play interactions with their siblings with autism.
The young typically developing children were taught to get their sibling with autism to play with them, how to promote sharing, how to provide play-related instructions or how to find out what their sibling wanted to play with. Read more…
Both in the US and i Europe there are several providers, such as schools, offering services and teaching based on applied behavior analysis (ABA). Earlier studies has shown that there exists several differences between such programs, and information on the common characteristics and differences is important in navigating through the services. It is also important in evaluating effect of ABA-programs.
Griffith, Fletcher and Hastings has conducted a study collecting data on aspects of all 14 ABA schools or classrooms in the UK. This study gives comprehensive information on school/classroom characteristics, child demographics and information on staff. This indicates that there are several differences between these schools, and more research is needed to better understand the differences in ABA providers.
Interventions for addressing the core-deficit related to joint attention has great focus within the autism research. Ferraioli and Harris has investigated a sibling-mediated behavioral intervention to teach joint attention to children with autism in Behavioral Interventions.
In this study typically developing children were trained to implement a joint attention intervention for their siblings with autism at home, replicating the procedure described by Whalen and Schreibman in 2003. The study collected pre- and post data, both in play setting and in a structured setting. The results shows that all participants, four children, made increase in responses of responding to joint attention. Three out of four also showed increase in initiating joint attention. The research supports the efficacy of involving siblings in intervention.
Again there has been published a review of behavioral interventions in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), this time in Current Opinion in Pediatrics. The review is conducted by Geraldine Dawson and Karen Burner. This review support the effectiveness of behavioral interventions, and highlights the following points;
- early intensive behavioral intervention (EIB) can result in significant gains in language and cognitive abilities.
- targeted and brief behavioral interventions can improve social communication in young children with ASD
- even if parent-mediated interventions has shown mixed results, they have been shown to improve parent-child relationships
- social skills intervention can enhance peer relationships and social competence in children with ASD
- Behavioral interventions are effective in reducing anxiety symptoms and aggressive behavior.
Teaching children receptive language or listener skills is an integrated and important part of Early Intensive Behavioral Interventions (EIBI) for children with autism spectrum disorders. An important part of this area of teaching is receptive labeling. Receptive labeling typically starting early in EIBI, and continuing with increasing complexity.
As described by Grow and colleagues in their article “A comparison of methods for teaching receptive labeling to children with autism spectrum disorders” published in vol 44, number 3 of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis teaching receptive labeling has traditionally Read more…
