Evaluation of the Efficacy of Communication-Based Treatments for Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abstract

This literature review examines the present level of evidence in support of communication-based treatments for children with autism spectrum disorders. Reviews to date have reported on research published through 2002. The current article included 36 studies published between 2002 and 2007. Best available evidence is presented for seven treatment categories: applied behavior analysis, naturalistic behavioral, developmental, classroom-based, video modeling, social skills, and augmentative and alternative communication. Findings indicate that empirical support has been obtained for the efficacy of several methods, whereas other methods remain in an exploratory stage of investigation.