Identifying Moderators of Treatment Outcome for Children with Autism

Abstract

The identification of variables that affect treatment outcomes and the development of individualized treatment protocols for children with autism have become a research priority for both researchers and funding agencies. Research indicates the inadequacy of one single treatment approach for all areas of learning for children with autism. Indeed, there is now a consensus that there is no 'one-size-fits-all' treatment for autism. Despite the benefits for many children, differential response to treatment is common for any behavioral approach, in that up to 50% of children fail to show substantial positive responses. While several different treatment models have been developed and separately empirically validated, little research has addressed when and for whom each intervention is most appropriate. Very little is known about how to individualize treatment protocols or how to best determine a priori which intervention is most likely to benefit individual children. Individualization research requires an understanding of the pre-treatment characteristics associated with differential outcomes in treatment, including child, family, and practitioner variables. The ultimate goal of this line of research is to enable practitioners to prospectively tailor treatments to specific children and increase the overall rate of positive outcomes for children with autism. This chapter begins with a review of child, family, and practitioner variables that have been associated with child treatment outcomes. It then continues with a discussion of existing individualization research that has been conducted to date. It concludes with a discussion of where the treatment individualization field is going and recommends future directions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved)