Abstract | Summary | Original Article

A two-year prospective follow-up study of community-based early intensive behavioural intervention and specialist nursery provision for children with autism spectrum disorders

Magiati I, Charman T, Howlin P.

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. 2007; 48(8): 803-812.

Question: Do community based early intensive behavioural intervention (EIBI) and specialist preschools produce different outcomes for young children with Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Background: There is very little information about whether home-based EIBI and specialized preschool settings produce the same outcomes for children with ASD.  This study followed children in both settings to see if either was superior to the other or if they were equivalent.

Design: Prospective follow-up study.

Setting: Individual participants’ homes and specialist preschools in England.

Participants: Forty-four 23- to 53-month- old children with ASD (28 in EIBI home programs and 16 in autism specialist preschools) took part.

Intervention: All of the home programs were based on discrete trial techniques of ABA. The preschools used TEACCH programs, PECS, or SPELL and other behavioural teaching methods. Home-based treatment children were more likely to also receive dietary or other biological treatments. The preschool group children were more likely to receive other educational treatments and alternative therapies.

Main Outcome Measures:The children were tested at the beginning of the study and then 2 years later.  General intelligence was tested with various appropriate tests. Adaptive behavior was tested with the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS) and language skills were tested with the British Picture Vocabulary Scale and the Expressive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test.

Main Results: Testing done two years after the start of the study showed that all children improved, but there were no differences between the two groups in general intelligence, play, language abilities or severity of autistic symptoms at the end of the study. There were individuals differences, however. The most improved group of children in either group tended to have an initial IQ of 70 or over and, with the exception of one child, all were better able to understand spoken language prior to the start of the study.

Conclusion: Everybody improved, but there was little difference between the two groups in their abilities, skills or the severity of their autistic symptoms at the end of the two-year follow-up period. However, there were individual children in both groups who made good progress. They were more likely to have an IQ of 70 or over and a greater ability to understand spoken language prior to the start of the study.

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