Are outcome measures for early intensive treatment of autism improving?

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are lifelong conditions which can be very debilitating. This disorder can be identified within the first two years of life, thus spurring the popularity of Early Intensive Behavioral Interventions (EIBI). Since 1987, the number of studies has been increasing as efficacy has been established. There has been a broad and inconsistent set of methods and procedures to establish experimental groups, evaluate treatment outcome, and assessing family reactions to treatment. In 2007, Matson noted that most EIBI studies failed to address many important dependent variables include the measurement of core symptoms of ASD. This study evaluates dependent variables used to assess the factors noted above, separated into studies published before 2008 compared to 2008 and later. Results are an indication that improvements are occurring, especially on the measurement of core symptoms of ASD; however, considerably more improvement is needed.