EARLY INTERVENTION, APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS, AND A GROUP LEARNING EXPERIENCE

BY KELLY BERMINGHAM

There is a long history of evidence and research indicating that early intervention is one of the most successful measures of autism spectrum disorder symptom reduction (ASD).

In 2001, The National Research Council convened a panel of many of the most well-recognized national experts in the treatment of autism at the time. This panel was charged with integrating scientific literature and creating a framework for evaluating the scientific evidence concerning the effects and distinguishing features of the various treatments for autism. One of the significant recommendations for children on the autism spectrum is the need for early entry into an intervention program.

In 2001, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a policy statement entitled, "The Pediatrician's Role in the Diagnosis and Management of Autistic Spectrum Disorder in Children." As part of this policy statement they noted, "There is a growing body of evidence that intensive early intervention services for children in whom autism is diagnosed before 5 years of age may lead to better overall outcomes. Behavioral training, including teaching appropriate communication behaviors, is effective in decreasing behavior problems and improving adaptation."

In 2007 The California Blue Ribbon Commission on Autism found: "Early identification and intervention for ASD is critical for children to reach their full potential and reduce their level of disability and dependence. Although the outcomes of interventions and treatment for ASD vary with each child, there is widespread agreement in the field based on a large body of research that children with ASD need to receive intensive interventions during early childhood."

In a second Clinical Report of the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Children With Disabilities, the report noted, "The effectiveness of ABA-based intervention in ASDs has been well documented through 5 decades of research by using single-subject methodology and in controlled studies of comprehensive early intensive behavioral intervention programs in university and community settings. Children who receive early intensive behavioral treatment have been shown to make substantial, sustained gains in IQ, language, academic performance, and adaptive behavior as well as some measures of social behavior, and their outcomes have been significantly better than those of children in control groups."

In the field of child development, the term "early intervention" refers to therapeutic services for infants and young children who have a delay in reaching developmental milestones. Early intervention often refers more specifically to intensive therapeutic services provided to children before entering kindergarten. In the field of autism and ABA, early intervention often refers to services that are delivered "early," typically from the ages of under 2 to 5 or 6 years old. This term also tends to refer to the concept of "intensive," meaning the hours provided to the child are significant and impactful. These programs are often