Helping parents choose treatments for young children with autism: A comparison of applied behavior analysis and eclectic treatments

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) - An analysis of the ASD interventions utilized in Bangladesh

OBJECTIVES

This study focused on analysing treatment applicability and effectiveness for ASD in Bangladesh based on the perspectives of parents/guardians, and educational or healthcare professionals.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES

We utilized a cross-sectional survey and a mixed methods approach was employed, integrating quantitative and qualitative data about interventions used, effectiveness, and satisfaction levels. Data were analysed via descriptive and inferential statistics, including independent sample t-tests.

RESULTS

The results revealed that developmental approaches were the most commonly used and participants expressed a high level of satisfaction with the interventions. Educational and healthcare professionals emphasized the importance of a multidisciplinary approach. The study also found no statistically significant difference in the effectiveness of interventions between the two cities.

CONCLUSIONS

The research highlights the need for a comprehensive and tailored approach to support individuals with ASD and provides valuable insights for organizations, policymakers, and professionals to improve the provision of effective interventions, It also focuses on the significance of involving caregivers in the treatment process. Further research is recommended to explore other regions' interventions and evaluate the long-term outcomes of different treatment approaches.

The effectiveness of applied behavior analysis program training on enhancing autistic children's emotional-social skills

BACKGROUND

This study focuses on the potential of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to improve emotional and social skills in children with autism spectrum disorder. ABA is a well-established therapeutic approach that uses behavior modification techniques to encourage positive behaviors and reduce challenging ones. Despite its widespread use, further research is needed to better understand its specific impact on emotional and social development in autistic children.

OBJECTIVE

This research aims to investigate an effective method for improving and enhancing institutionalized children's social, communicative, and daily life skills. The study also examines the impact of behavioral analysis on these children's social and emotional skills.

METHOD

The research is categorized as applied in terms of objectives and quasi-experimental in data collection. It involves a control group, an experimental group, and a covariance analysis model. The research population consists of 100 volunteer boys aged 4 to 11 residing in institutional care in Wuhan during the year 2023. Among them, 60 individuals were selected and divided into control and experimental groups, each comprising 30 participants. Data for the study were collected using the kindergarten inventory of social/ emotional tendencies (KIST. The applied behavioral analysis program was implemented individually for the experimental group in eight one-hour sessions twice a week.

FINDINGS

Data analysis was conducted using SPSS-24 software and a multivariate analysis of the covariance method. The results indicated that the behavioral analysis program significantly impacts institutionalized children's social and communicative skills, improving their daily lives (p < .05).

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study demonstrate that the applied behavior analysis program significantly improves the social, communicative, and daily life skills of institutionalized children with autism spectrum disorder. ABA interventions, delivered through structured sessions, effectively enhance emotional and social development, confirming its value as a therapeutic approach in institutional care settings.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of behavioral interventions for autism spectrum disorders: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies

The objective of this research was to assess the efficacy of behavioral therapy interventions in the treatment of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The study utilized the PubMed and Embase databases to locate randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental treatment studies, and randomized clinical trial comparisons. The experimental group received treatment based on an applied behavioral approach, such as PECS, DTT, PRT, TEACCH, ESDM, and EIBI. After examining seventeen studies, the researchers found that each type of behavioral intervention had a positive impact. Naturalistic protocols that employed PRT and PECS improved ASD symptoms in general, despite their targeting of particular cognitive domains such as language. ESDM enhanced receptive language, particularly in preschool-aged children. Structured and integrated interventions, like EIBI and TEACCH, improved overall adaptive functioning. Combining DTT with a TEACCH program produced greater benefits in linguistic, affective-social, and personal autonomy domains. However, there is a scarcity of high-quality research available on behavioral interventions for ASD. Further comparative studies are necessary to identify cost-efficient interventions. For example, PRT and PECS significantly improved social communication skills in only 15-40 hours over six months. The authors emphasized the need for continued research and the application of evidence-based interventions in specialized settings.

Effect of probiotics combined with applied behavior analysis in the treatment of children with autism spectrum disorder: a prospective randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVES

To study the effect of probiotics combined with applied behavior analysis (ABA) in the treatment of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

METHODS

A total of 41 children with ASD who attended the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University from May 2019 to December 2020 were enrolled and randomly divided into an observation group with 21 children and a control group with 20 children. The children in the observation group were given oral probiotics combined with ABA intervention, while those in the control group were given ABA intervention alone. The treatment outcomes were compared between the two groups. Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) was used to evaluate the severity of behavioral symptoms in both groups before intervention and at 3 months after intervention. The fecal samples were collected to analyze the difference in intestinal flora between the two groups based on 16s rRNA high-throughput sequencing.

RESULTS

Before intervention, there was no significant difference in the ATEC score between the observation and control groups (P>0.05). At 3 months after intervention, both groups had a significant reduction in the ATEC score, and the observation group had a significantly lower ATEC score than the control group (P<0.05). Before intervention, there was no significant difference in the composition of intestinal flora between the observation and control groups. At 3 months after intervention, there was a significant difference in the composition of intestinal flora between the observation and control groups. Compared with the control group, the observation group had significantly higher relative abundances of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Coprobacillus, Ruminococcus, Prevotella, and Blautia (P<0.05) and significantly lower relative abundances of Shigella and Clostridium (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Probiotics may improve the effect of conventional ABA intervention in children with ASD by regulating intestinal flora.