Therapies for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Table 12. Outcomes of RCTs assessing play-/interaction-based interventions
Author, year, country Age, mean ± SD (range)
Key outcomes
Groups, N enrollment/ N final
Study quality
IQ, mean ± SD
Parent-focused interventions
Solomon et al. 161 2008, US G1: 8.2 yrs ± 1.7
• Challenging behaviors decreased in both
G2: 8.1 yrs ± 2.2
groups.
G1: Parent training focused on
• Scores declined on BASC Hyperactivity Scale
behavior management and NR
for G1 but not G2.
requesting (PCIT), 10/10
G2: Wait list, 9/9
• Score on BASC Adaptability Scale increased
significantly for G1.
Quality: Fair
• Parents of G1 children reported significantly
less atypicality on the BASC scale.
Kasari et al. 155,156 2006, US G1: 43.2 ± 7.05
• Children in the intervention groups showed
G2: 42.67 ± 6.93
greater growth in expressive language,
G1: Joint attention intervention, G3: 41.94 ± 4.93
initiation of joint attention, and duration of
20/20
child-initiated joint attention than did control
G2: Symbolic play intervention, NR
group children (p=