A comparison of home based and centre based early intervention for young children with autism: A randomised control study

Background:

Consistent with international trends there is increasing demand for early intervention (EI) for autism across Australia. This demand is adversely influenced by a lack of empirically based evidence about program quality and effectiveness.  This paper reports on an empirical study examining the effectiveness of Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect)’s Building Blocks Program (2007 = 165 children/families) by a team of researchers at the University of Sydney. This study specifically examined the effectiveness of the Building Blocks centre based (CB) and home based (HB) programs. The CB program provides a weekly parent training program concurrently with a structured play based program for a small groups of children. The HB program provides a fortnightly session. Both programs operate for 12 months.

Objectives:

This project seeks to compare outcomes for three groups: CB, HB and a comparison (wait list) group. Program variables of interest include intensity, individual versus small group focus, context (HB versus CB), type of parent education and support.

Methods: Three participant groups were recruited in 2006-7 - HB (n=30), CB (n=30), waitlist/control (n=30). All participants were administered pre and post assessment measures. Treatment groups received intervention for 12 months. Formal and non-standardised assessments were used to measure social, communication and independent functioning outcomes for children and parent stress and quality of life.

Results:

This paper reports on preliminary analyses of child/family outcome measures. Dependent variables included: Child; autism (ADOS), cognition (Griffiths), communication, (Reynell & Pragmatics Profile), independent functioning (Vineland), educational evaluation: Parent/family: stress (PSI), Quality of life (Beach), and perception of competence. Strengths of the project included: random assignment of participants to treatment groups, a non-treatment comparison group, verification of diagnosis of autism (ADOS), pre and post measures by staff blind to participant status, verification of treatment fidelity, recording information about additional interventions throughout the study.

Conclusions: data analysis being completed