Randomized Trial of Intensive Early Intervention for Children With Pervasive Developmental Disorder

TLDR

Children with pervasive developmental disorder were randomized to receive either intensive individual treatment (≈24.5 h/week for one year, tapering over 1–2 years) or parent training (3–9 months). At follow‑up, the intensive treatment group showed superior gains in intelligence, visual‑spatial skills, language, and academics compared with parent training, though adaptive functioning and behavior problems were unchanged; children with PDD‑NOS appeared to benefit more than those with autism.

Abstract

Young children with pervasive developmental disorder were randomly assigned to intensive treatment or parent training. The intensive treatment group (7 with autism, 8 with pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified--NOS) averaged 24.52 hours per week of individual treatment for one year, gradually reducing hours over the next 1 to 2 years. The parent training group (7 with autism, 6 with pervasive developmental disorder NOS) received 3 to 9 months of parent training. The groups appeared similar at intake on all measures; however, at follow-up the intensive treatment group outperformed the parent training group on measures of intelligence, visual-spatial skills, language, and academics, though not adaptive functioning or behavior problems. Children with pervasive developmental disorder NOS may have gained more than those with autism.