Long-term outcome for children with autism who received early intensive behavioral treatment.

TLDR

The study aimed to evaluate the long‑term outcomes of early intensive behavioral treatment in children with autism. Participants were followed up and assessed at a mean age of 11.5 years. The experimental group maintained higher IQs and less restrictive school placements, with many children achieving average intelligence and adaptive behavior, indicating lasting significant gains.

Abstract

After a very intensive behavioral intervention, an experimental group of 19 preschool-age children with autism achieved less restrictive school placements and higher IQs than did a control group of 19 similar children by age (Lovaas, 1987). The present study followed-up this finding by assessing subjects at a mean age of 11.5 years. Results showed that the experimental group preserved its gains over the control group. The 9 experimental subjects who had achieved the best outcomes at age 7 received particularly extensive evaluations indicating that 8 of them were indistinguishable from average children on tests of intelligence and adaptive behavior. Thus, behavioral treatment may produce long-lasting and significant gains for many young children with autism.