Effects of an Early Intervention Program on Preverbal Communication in a Child With Autism: Developmental and Behavioral Analysis With a Multiple-Baseline Design

Abstract

Autism is a deficit of social, communicative, and linguistic function said to be caused by brain dysfunction. We have developed a comprehensive intervention program that focuses on early development of communication. In the present study, the program was implemented 3 hours per week for 4 weeks with a child with autism. A multiple-baseline design was utilized to evaluate effects of the intervention. The results suggested that attention to social stimuli, responding to joint attention (RJA), and imitation skill were improved. Furthermore, the duration of attentiveness, which was not directly taught, improved as well. The findings were discussed in terms of effects of low intensive, short-term treatment for a child with autism. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)