It is widely believed that early diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorder is essential for better outcome. This is demonstrated by the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation to screen all 1.5-2.5-year-old toddlers for autism spectrum disorder. However, multiple longitudinal studies of children diagnosed with autism spectrum…

Purpose: Sentence diversity is a measure of early language development that has yet to be applied to individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The primary aim of this study was to identify whether children with ASD show change in sentence diversity over 6 months of treatment with Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention (NDBI).…

The number of trials aimed at evaluating treatments for autism spectrum disorder has been increasing progressively. However, it is not clear which outcome measures should be used to assess their efficacy, especially for treatments which target core symptoms. The present review aimed to provide a comprehensive overview regarding the outcome…

This study aims to determine the validity and reliability of applying the coding strategy from the Brief Observation of Social Communication Change, a newly validated treatment outcome measure, to videotaped segments of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule. Results indicate strong reliability and validity of the Brief Observation of Social…

This study examined whether musical and emotional attunement predicts changes in improvisational music therapy with children with autism (4-7 years, N = 101, majority: no/limited speech, low IQ), assessed over 12 months. Attunement, as observed from session videos, and changes in generalized social skills, judged by blinded assessors and parents,…

Insomnia is common in children with autism. Cognitive behavioral treatment for childhood insomnia may improve sleep and functioning in children with autism and their parents, but delivery involving multiple office visits limits accessibility. This single-arm pilot study tested telehealth delivery of eight-session cognitive behavioral treatment for…

Difficulties with emotion regulation are common in children with autism. Although interventions targeting emotion regulation show promise, children's individual treatment responses vary, and it is important to understand the factors that contribute to treatment change. The present study aimed to identify pre-treatment child characteristics and…

The Early Start Denver Model is an evidence-based, comprehensive naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention. Randomized controlled studies indicate that long-term, high-intensity Early Start Denver Model in home-based settings can positively impact the clinical outcomes of young children with autism spectrum disorder. However, it is…

Symptoms of autism spectrum disorder may influence alliance in psychotherapy. This study examined therapeutic alliance and its relationship with child characteristics and anxiety treatment outcomes in youth with autism spectrum disorder. Youth (N = 64) with autism spectrum disorder and co-occurring anxiety (7-16 years, IQ > 70) received 16…

Little is known about the alliance between therapists and children with autism spectrum disorder who are receiving psychological therapies in outpatient treatment settings. This study examined the therapeutic alliance in children with autism spectrum disorder and clinical anxiety, who were receiving cognitive behavioral therapy in a randomized,…

Cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety in youth with an autism spectrum disorder appears efficacious; however, maintenance of treatment gains has not yet been studied. Using a sample of 32 youth who had benefited at least minimally from a past trial of cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety in autism spectrum disorder, this study assessed…

Social communication impairments are a core deficit in autism spectrum disorder. Social communication deficit is also an early indicator of autism spectrum disorder and a factor in long-term outcomes. Thus, this symptom domain represents a critical treatment target. Identifying reliable and valid outcome measures for social communication across a…

The purpose of this study was to pilot test the effects of a culturally adapted early intervention influenced by the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) on reduction of autism symptoms and severity categorization for young children with autism spectrum disorders in China. Participants were randomly assigned to either the control or intervention…

Anxiety disorders frequently co-occur in youth with autism spectrum disorders. In addition to developing efficacious treatments for anxiety in children with autism spectrum disorders, it is important to examine the transportability of these treatments to real-world settings. Study aims were to (a) train clinicians to deliver Facing Your Fears:…

Several researchers along with technicians have been developing software and hardware to support and/or replace the standard method of teaching for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and/or other developmental disabilities. Moreover, computer-based intervention and electronic tablets have shown benefits for people with special needs…