Outcome survey of early intensive behavioral intervention for young children with autism in a community setting.
Community EIBI keeps kids dependent on services and does not produce recovery, despite high parent satisfaction.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team sent a short survey to parents whose kids got Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention in regular community agencies.
They asked: Is your child recovered? Still getting services? How happy are you with the program?
What they found
Zero children were recovered. All still needed lots of therapy or school help.
Parents were happy anyway. They liked the staff and felt the program helped.
How this fits with other research
Studer et al. (2017) saw real gains when the same EIBI model ran in a Swiss clinic. The kids moved forward, just slower than in lab studies.
Busch et al. (2010) used a parent-plus-PRT program in the community and saw big language jumps. The setting was the same, but the method differed.
Shea (2004) warns that the famous 47% recovery figure from early Lovaas studies is shaky. Allen et al. (2001) adds real-world proof: no recoveries in their sample.
Why it matters
Tell families that community EIBI can feel good and still leave big needs. Plan for long-term support and keep measuring progress. If you want stronger skill gains, blend in parent-coaching tactics like PRT or boost dose and fidelity like the Swiss clinic did.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
This article presents findings from an outcome survey of the effects of early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) for young children with autism in a community setting. Results from both individual case reviews and parent questionnaires are presented, with the data failing to support any instances of'recovery' while still yielding a high degree of parental satisfaction with the treatment. Moreover, a follow-up inquiry into the type of services each child was receiving in his or her post-EIBI setting documents continued dependence on extensive educational and related developmental services, suggesting that the promise of future treatment sparing did not materialize. Limitations of the survey in evaluating community-based EIBI services are discussed along with the need for further research designed to document the effectiveness of services provided to young children with ASD in the community.
Autism : the international journal of research and practice, 2001 · doi:10.1177/1362361301005004007