Early Responsiveness to Intensive Behavioural Intervention Predicts Outcomes Among Preschool Children with Autism

Abstract

Archival data from a private day‐school offering early intensive behavioural intervention based on the principles of applied behaviour analysis to preschoolers with autism (N = 29) were analysed longitudinally. Teacher reports on the Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills (ABLLS) were available up to 4 times and on the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales—Classroom Edition (VABS‐CE), at 2 time points. Parent reports on the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) were available at 2 time points. All assessments occurred approximately at 6‐month intervals. Children showed statistically significant progress across all skill domains on the ABLLS and on selected subscales and the composite scales of the VABS‐CE and ATEC. Gains were substantial for some children and minor for others. When divided into performance‐based groups, both higher‐performing and lower‐performing groups showed improvement over time, with greater improvement for the higher‐performing group. Nine of 16 children who had been discharged from the programme entered inclusive kindergarten or first‐grade classrooms with an aide. Seven discharged children entered special education classrooms. No child progressed to the point that special education services were not needed. Findings are discussed relevant to the extant literature on early intensive behavioural intervention outcomes among young children with autism.

Keywords:

• Applied behaviour analysis
• Autism spectrum disorders
• Development
• Early childhood
• Education
• Therapy

Acknowledgements

Robin P. Goin‐Kochel was a postdoctoral fellow at the Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics and coordinator of the autism registry at the Autism Centre of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University during this project. Dr Goin‐Kochel was supported by a National Research Service Award from the NIH, T32MH‐20030 (PI MC Neale). The authors are grateful to the programme coordinators at the school for their cooperation with this project, Amy Babcock for her assistance with data organisation, and Al Best for his contributions to statistical analyses.