Home-Based Behavioral Intervention for Young Children with Autism/Pervasive Developmental Disorder

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Abstract
Sixteen children with diagnoses of autism and pervasive developmental disorder who participated in home-based behavioral intervention were evaluated retrospectively to determine whether the ‘intensity’ of service delivery (hours per week, duration in months, total hours) and the age at which intervention was introduced (before and after 3 years of age) influenced developmental rating scale assessments of progress. Children who were involved in services before and after 3 years of age all demonstrated significant changes on six developmental domains when assessed before and following intervention but there were no significant differences between these groups. Overall improvement in the areas of communication, cognitive and social- emotional functioning was predicted by the duration of time (months) that a child spent in home-based intervention. These findings are discussed in light of recommendations for the ‘intensive’ behavioral treatment of young children with autism.