The National Autism Center's Standards Report: What types of treatments are effective, promising and ineffective?

Download NACReport 2009

A large panel of experts from diverse fields of study and theoretical backgrounds collaboratively determined the strategies used to evaluate the literature on the treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders.  Treatments are discussed as follows: those that the research indicates are effective, those that the research indicates may be effective and those that indicate the treatment is not effective.  Each treatment is defined in the document.  May I suggest you download the document for complete information. 

The NAC identified 11 treatments as effective where well controlled studies demonstrated that the intervention produced beneficial effects:

The following interventions are Established Treatments:

Differential reinforcement strategies

Techniques that involve the manipulation of the antecedents of behavior

Functional Communication Training

Comprehensive Behavioral Treatment for Young Children

Joint Attention Intervention

Modeling

Discrete Trial Teaching

Naturalistic Teaching Strategies

Peer Training Package

Pivotal Response Teaching

Independent Activity Schedules (and other visual schedules)

Self-management (teaching a person to record and consequate his own behavior)

Story-based Intervention Packages

Generalization Training

Shaping

Non Contingent escape

Overcorrection

Teaching verbal operants such as: echoics, mands, tacts, intraverbals and so on. 

Behavioral toilet training

Contingency Contracting

Token Economies

The NAC identified 22 treatments as emerging, that is there were one or more studies that suggest the intervention may produce favorable outcomes, but additional research is needed before the NAC can identify them as effective.  

The following treatments have been identified as falling into the Emerging

level of evidence:

Augmentative and Alternative Communication Device {14 studies} 

Cognitive Behavioral Intervention Package {3 studies}

Developmental Relationship-based Treatment {7 studies}

Exercise {4 studies}

Exposure Package for Anxiety {4 studies}

Imitation-based Interaction {6 studies}

Initiation Training {7 studies} 

Language Training (Production) {13 studies}

Language Training (Production & Understanding) {7 studies}

Massage/Touch Therapy {2 studies}

Multi-component Package {10 studies}

Music Therapy {6 studies}

Peer-mediated Instructional Arrangement {11 studies}

Picture Exchange Communication System {13 studies}

Reductive Package {33 studies}

Scripting {6 studies}

Sign Instruction {11 studies}

Social Communication Intervention {5 studies}

Social Skills Package {16 studies}

Structured Teaching {4 studies}

Technology-based Treatment {19 studies}

Theory of Mind Training {4 studies}

The NAC listed interventions or treatment as not effective. Theses are treatments where there is little or no evidence in the scientific literature that allowed NAC to determine the treatment was effective. 

The following treatments (and others not listed) have been identified as falling into the Unestablished level of evidence:

Auditory Integration Training

Facilitated Communication

Gluten- and Casein-Free Diet

Sensory Integrative Package

Again, may I suggest that you download the entire document for complete information. 

Comments

[written term papers]

I easily get nice & updated information for research purposes... I'd definitely appreciate the work of the said blog owner... Thanks!

[ADHD Therapy]

I've being researching about Autism and reading your blog, I found your post very helpful :) . I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog!

[Jose Perez]

my name is jose and a parent of autistic 13 year old, i would like to know please about "REDUCTIVE PACKAGE" treatment what is this about and how works . Teacher from School suggest to me this treatment for my son ..........thanks

[Music_master]

I think you are not quite right and you should still studying the matter.

[school_dubl]

Hi Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

[Realestate]

With the new 2011. Year! Congratulations.

[Types of Autism]

The treatment for all different Types of Autism depends largely on the severity of the symptoms. While autism in any form cannot be treated completely, several forms of therapy are administered in order to make the affected individual self sufficient and less dependent on others.

[Barbie oliver]

Interesting that all the contributor to this report are bcbas. As a parent of a child with autism I have learned that each child is an individual and no one therapy works. It takes a village of therapist to help our children. My son has deffinetly benefited more from sensory integration therapy than from ABA. I think in the end we will find that autism has many causes. I am suspicious of one field claiming superiority over another. Our children do benefit from one on one intervention and the more time doing so regardless of the therapy is helpful. I think it is time for the so called experts out there admit there lack of knowledge an start to work together.