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| Early Intervention for Children with Autism |
| Saturday, May 29, 2004 |
| 1:00 PM–2:20 PM |
| Back Bay A |
| Area: AUT |
| Chair: Jessica Brian (Hospital for Sick Children) |
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| Earliest Intervention with Infants Showing Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorders: Process Variables and Emerging Outcomes |
| Domain: Applied Research |
| JESSICA BRIAN (Hospital for Sick Children), Shelley Jay Mitchell (Hospital for Sick Children) |
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| Abstract: Through an ongoing multi-site early identification project “Early markers of autism: Prospective study of infant siblings” (Zwaigenbaum, Bryson, Szatmari & Roberts, in progress), we have selected as intervention candidates infants who are showing signs of atypical development as early as 12 months of age. Concerns have generally been identified in the domains of social-communicative and/or play and behavioural development. Our task has been to address emerging concerns as early as possible through a pilot intervention project designed for this purpose. The intervention model, introduced at last year's conference, follows a set of guiding principles, while at the same time allowing for individualized programming based on each child’s assessed deficits, needs, and developmental stage.
The intervention project is currently being piloted with several high-risk infants within their second year of life. This paper will present preliminary findings on process variables (e.g., program implementation, feasibility) as well as emerging outcome data on infants in the pilot project compared with waiting list controls. Discussion will include issues of very early identification of autism and related disorders and the potential impact of very early intervention on the developmental trajectories of infants at high-risk for developing autism spectrum disorders. |
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| Communication Skills of Preschool Students in a Center-based Program Utilizing Early Intensive Behavioral intervention: Six Month Outcome Data |
| Domain: Applied Research |
| MICHELLE R. DEPOLO (Cleveland Clinic Center for Autism), Vanessa Kay Jensen (Cleveland Clinic Center for Autism), Leslie V. Sinclair (Cleveland Clinic Center for Autism), Aletta Sinoff (Cleveland Clinic Center for Autism) |
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| Abstract: Receptive and expressive language and overall adaptive communication skills were evaluated prospectively in a sample of young children (Mean age=39.86 months, SD=6.44 months) with autism in a center-based applied behavior analysis preschool. Autism severity was measured by The Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). At baseline, average total category rating was in the moderate to severe range of autism (Mean= 38.26, SD=5.39), with 2 children scoring in the mild-moderate range and 5 children scoring in the moderate-severe range. It was hypothesized that overall language skills would improve, as would specific receptive and expressive language skills.
Data were gathered upon entry into the program and after the initial 6 months of treatment, using the Preschool Language Scale-Third/Fourth Edition-Total Language Score (PLS3/4-TL), Receptive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test (ROWPVT), Expressive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test (EOWPVT), and Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS)-Communication and Socialization subdomains. All students received a minimum of 25 hours weekly of intensive behavioral treatment targeting communication as part of a more broad-based intervention program.
T-tests for dependent measures showed significant improvement in PLS3/4-TL performance (p=.012), VABS-C performance (p=.065), and ROWPVT performance (p=.093). EOWPVT standard scores increased on average 5.43 points (66.14 to 71.57, p=.204). VABS-Socialization domain scores also significantly improved (p=.066). |
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| Comparisons of Social and Play Behaviors of Preschoolers with and without Pervasive Developmental Disorders |
| Domain: Applied Research |
| SANDRA PIERCE-JORDAN (The May Institute), Karin Lifter (Northeastern University) |
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| Abstract: Videotaped observations of 21 preschool children with (n=12) and without PDD (n=9) in integrated playgroups were coded separately for social complexity (onlooking; simple social; social coordination) and play complexity (object-focus; simple “known” play; complex “emerging” play). The results, based on log-linear analyses, supported an inverse relationship for both groups of children. When a child engaged in complex play, the likelihood of social interaction decreased (12%), whereas when the child was not engaged in complex play, the likelihood of social interaction increased (35%). When a child engaged in social interaction during complex play, socially coordinated interactions were minimal (3%), whereas their likelihood increased during simple play (45%). Differences between the groups existed in episode length of social coordination (9 seconds for children without PDD, 4 seconds for children with PDD) and in the quality of activities preceding the shift to complex activities: frequently simple social (70%) for children with PDD; most likely onlooking (69%) for children without PDD. Mean percentage of interobserver agreement for the social and play codes was 82.8% (range from 73.5 to 89.2). The results are discussed in terms of the strategies children use to shift in and out of complex activities, the methodology (i.e., continuous sampling), and the implications for social interventions in play contexts. |
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