TY - JOUR
T1 - Change in autism core symptoms with intervention
AU - Zachor, Ditza A.
AU - Ben-Itzchak, Esther
AU - Rabinovich, Ana Lia
AU - Lahat, Eli
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by a grant from the Ministry of Education in Israel. We thank ALUT—The Israeli National Alliance for Children with Autism for the cooperation provided within their early intervention programs.
PY - 2007/10
Y1 - 2007/10
N2 - It is still debated what is the best early intervention approach for autism. This study compared two intervention approaches, Eclectic-Developmental (ED) and Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) in very young children with autism/autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Nineteen children received ED intervention, using combination of methods. Twenty children received Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) intervention which used behavioral principles. Children in both groups were not significantly different in their autism severity, cognitive abilities and in socio-economic background at pre-intervention time. Change in the severity of autism symptoms was assessed by the Autism Diagnosis Observation Schedule (ADOS). The ABA group showed significantly greater improvements than the ED group at post-intervention time. Pre-post intervention differences in language and communication domain were significant only for the ABA group. Both groups showed significant improvement in reciprocal social interaction domain. However, the effect size was greater for the ABA group. Changes in diagnostic classification were noted in both groups but were more pronounced for the ABA group. Pre-treatment IQ scores were positively related to ADOS scores at pre- and post-intervention times, but not to progress over time. Behavioral intervention is more effective than eclectic approach in improving autism core symptoms in young children with autism.
AB - It is still debated what is the best early intervention approach for autism. This study compared two intervention approaches, Eclectic-Developmental (ED) and Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) in very young children with autism/autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Nineteen children received ED intervention, using combination of methods. Twenty children received Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) intervention which used behavioral principles. Children in both groups were not significantly different in their autism severity, cognitive abilities and in socio-economic background at pre-intervention time. Change in the severity of autism symptoms was assessed by the Autism Diagnosis Observation Schedule (ADOS). The ABA group showed significantly greater improvements than the ED group at post-intervention time. Pre-post intervention differences in language and communication domain were significant only for the ABA group. Both groups showed significant improvement in reciprocal social interaction domain. However, the effect size was greater for the ABA group. Changes in diagnostic classification were noted in both groups but were more pronounced for the ABA group. Pre-treatment IQ scores were positively related to ADOS scores at pre- and post-intervention times, but not to progress over time. Behavioral intervention is more effective than eclectic approach in improving autism core symptoms in young children with autism.
KW - Applied Behavioral Analysis
KW - Autism
KW - Autism Diagnosis Observation Schedule
KW - Autism spectrum disorder
KW - Eclectic-Developmental
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=35549006376&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.rasd.2006.12.001
DO - 10.1016/j.rasd.2006.12.001
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AN - SCOPUS:35549006376
SN - 1750-9467
VL - 1
SP - 304
EP - 317
JO - Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders
JF - Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders
IS - 4
ER -