Related Experiment Videos
Treatment of children with autism: a randomized controlled trial to evaluate a caregiver-based intervention program
L J Jocelyn1, O G Casiro, D Beattie
1Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba, Canada.
Insights
This caregiver intervention improved language skills in children with autism. Parents and childcare workers gained knowledge, increasing satisfaction and perceived control.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Pediatric Intervention
Background:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) presents significant challenges for children and their families.
- Early intervention programs are crucial for improving developmental outcomes in young children with ASD.
- Community day-care settings offer a potential environment for delivering interventions to preschool-aged children with ASD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a caregiver-based intervention program for preschool children with autism.
- To assess the impact of the intervention on children's language abilities and caregivers' knowledge and perceptions.
- To compare the intervention's outcomes against standard day care alone.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 35 preschool children diagnosed with autism or pervasive developmental disorder.
- Experimental group: Children received day care, while parents and childcare workers participated in a 12-week intervention (lectures, consultations, family support).
- Control group: Children received day care only.
Main Results:
- Children in the experimental group demonstrated greater gains in language abilities compared to the control group.
- Caregivers in the experimental group showed significant increases in knowledge about autism.
- Mothers in the experimental group reported a greater perception of control, and overall parent satisfaction was higher.
Conclusions:
- The caregiver-based intervention program was significantly superior to day care alone for children with autism.
- This intervention model effectively enhanced child development and caregiver well-being within a community day-care setting.
- Findings support the integration of targeted, caregiver-focused interventions into early childhood education environments for children with ASD.
Abstract:
This study reports on the results of a randomized controlled trial that evaluated a caregiver-based intervention program for children with autism in community day-care centers. Thirty-five preschool children with a DSM III-R diagnosis of autism or pervasive developmental disorder were randomized to an experimental or control group. Children in the experimental group were enrolled in day care and their parents and child care workers received a 12-week intervention consisting of lectures and on-site consultations to day-care centers. In addition, supportive work was undertaken with families. Control subjects received day care alone. In the experimental group, there were greater gains in language abilities, significant increases in caregivers' knowledge about autism, greater perception of control on the part of mothers, and greater parent satisfaction. We conclude that this research design demonstrated that the intervention was significantly superior to day care alone.