Community Trial of a Comprehensive Psychosocial Treatment for HFASDs. (June 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lopata, Christopher; Toomey, Jennifer A.; Thomeer, Marcus L.; McDonald, Christin A.; Fox, Jeffery D.; Smith, Rachael A.; Meichenbaum, David L.; Volker, Martin A.; Lee, Gloria K.; Lipinski, Alanna M.
• Is Part Of: Focus on autism and other developmental disabilities. Volume 30:Number 2(2015:Jun.)
• Page Start: 115
• Page End: 125
• Publication Date: 2015-06
• Subjects: community effectiveness trial -- manualized treatment -- community replication -- comprehensive psychosocial intervention -- high-functioning autism spectrum disorders; Autism in children -- Periodicals; Autistic children -- Education -- Periodicals; Autism -- Periodicals; Developmental disabilities -- Periodicals; 616.8982
• DOI: 10.1177/1088357614525662
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1088-3576

Abstract

This community effectiveness trial examined the feasibility and efficacy of a comprehensive psychosocial treatment for 28 children, aged 7 to 10 years with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (HFASDs). Treatment included instruction and therapeutic activities targeting social skills, face-emotion recognition skills, interest expansion, and interpretation of non-literal language skills. A behavioral program was instituted to foster skills acquisition and reduce ASD symptoms and problem behaviors. Feasibility was supported in high levels of fidelity and satisfaction. Significant improvements were found for the children's non-literal language skills and parent ratings of target social and communicative skills, broader social performance, and ASD symptoms. Secondary staff ratings corroborated parent ratings. Results suggest that the treatment, when administered by a community agency, was feasible and yielded positive outcomes similar to prior randomized clinical trials (RCTs).