Concurrent validity of social subtype and IQ after early intensive behavioral intervention in children with autism: a preliminary investigation.
Aloof preschoolers with autism gain fewer IQ points after EIBI, so flag them early and intensify supports.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Leigh and team looked at the preschoolers with autism after one year of Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI).
They used Wing's three social subtypes: aloof, active-but-odd, and passive.
Each child got an IQ test before and after EIBI to see if subtype predicted gains.
What they found
All three subtypes were still there after treatment.
Kids labeled aloof started lower and gained fewer IQ points than the other two groups.
Active-but-odd and passive kids caught up closer to typical ranges.
How this fits with other research
Reichow (2012) pooled five meta-analyses and agrees EIBI raises IQ overall, but Leigh shows the lift is not equal for every child.
Peters et al. (2013) found parent involvement boosts effect size; Leigh did not track parent training, so the aloof group might have missed that extra push.
Eldevik et al. (2006) showed low-intensity ABA gives only small gains; Leigh used full EIBI yet still saw the aloof subtype lag, proving dosage alone does not erase subtype risk.
Ohan et al. (2015) tracked kids to age 9 and found half reached average IQ; Leigh’s snapshot hints that the aloof group may be the ones left behind in that long run.
Why it matters
Screen for Wing subtype at intake. If a child fits the aloof profile, plan extra social engagement targets and check parent participation early. Track IQ every six months and be ready to add more hours or peer-mediated sessions if gains stall.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Three subtypes of autism based on social style have been proposed by Wing: active-but-odd, passive, or aloof. Previous research has shown evidence of an association between IQ and Wing subtype in untreated children and adults. Because IQ changes can accompany behavioral treatment, but often only for a subset of children, social subtype may be related to treatment responsiveness. We administered a social subtyping measure, the Wing Subgroups Questionnaire (WSQ), at various points in treatment to younger children than previously studied with autism in early, intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI). Thirty-seven children in EIBI (aged 39-71 months, amount of EIBI 0-44 months) were assessed to determine whether Wing's three proposed subtypes were found in this sample and whether subtypes were associated with current IQ and change in IQ after a period of EIBI. Results confirmed that all three subtypes were present and correlated with IQ after a period of intervention, as well as with change in IQ. Participants classified as aloof had significantly lower IQ scores and changes in IQ after EIBI than other children. Future studies should extend these findings by examining whether social subtype at pretreatment predicts EIBI outcome.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2005 · doi:10.1007/s10803-005-3292-3