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Updated: Oct 13, 2025
Eye Tracking Young Children with Autism
Published on: March 27, 2012
Early intervention for young children with autism spectrum disorder: protocol for a scoping review of economic
Katherine Pye1, Hannah Jackson2, Teresa Iacono3
1School of Psychology & Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Australia. k.pye@latrobe.edu.au.
Insights
This scoping review examines the cost-effectiveness of early interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It identifies research gaps in economic evaluations of autism early intervention services.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Health Economics
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Early intervention services for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) vary widely in approach, intensity, and delivery.
- These interventions represent a significant cost in Western countries.
- Recent availability of outcome data allows for cost-effectiveness comparisons.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a scoping review of economic evaluations for early interventions for children with autism.
- To understand the methodologies employed in existing cost-effectiveness research.
- To identify research priorities in the economic evaluation of autism early interventions.
Main Methods:
- Systematic search of multiple databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Econlit, PEDE, NHS EED, HTA) up to 2021.
- Inclusion of full economic evaluations of early interventions for pre-school children with autism.
- Data extraction and quality assessment by two independent reviewers using established checklists (CHEC-list, Philips checklist, CHEERS checklist).
Main Results:
- A narrative synthesis will collate findings on economic evaluations.
- The review will describe methods used in previous studies.
- It will identify which early autism interventions have been subject to economic scrutiny.
Conclusions:
- The review will provide crucial information on economic evidence for early autism interventions.
- It will guide policymakers and service providers in understanding current research.
- Identifies gaps and inconsistencies in economic evaluation methods for future research.
Background:
In many countries, children who are diagnosed with autism during the first 5 years of life are offered a range of early intervention options. These options vary considerably in the theoretical approaches and techniques applied, their intensity and duration, settings, the person/s delivering supports and the training they require. Early interventions are a significant contributor to total autism-related costs in Western countries, but only in the last 10-20 years has there been adequate outcome data to enable the comparison of different interventions' cost-effectiveness. This protocol describes a scoping review to better understand what economic evaluations have been completed in this field, and the methods used to date.
Methods:
We will systematically search the following databases from their inception to 2021 for eligible studies: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Econlit, PEDE, NHS EED and HTA. Full economic evaluations of any types of early intervention for children with autism prior to school entry will be included. Two reviewers will screen the studies, extract the data and assess the study quality using established checklists. The risk of bias will be assessed using the extended CHEC-list for all studies and, additionally, the Philips checklist for modelled studies. Quality of reporting will be assessed using the CHEERS checklist. A narrative synthesis will be completed to collate the findings, describe the methods used and identify which interventions have been researched from an economic perspective.
Discussion:
This review will provide researchers, policymakers and service providers with current information about the economic evidence for early interventions for young children with autism and point to priorities for further research. It will inform future economic evaluations by highlighting the gaps or inconsistencies in the methods used to date. Limitations of the review will be acknowledged and discussed.
Systematic Review Registration:
Open Science Framework: https://osf.io/sj7kt.
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