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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2012 Aug;42(8):1768-73.
doi: 10.1007/s10803-011-1423-6.

Brief report: effect of a focused imitation intervention on social functioning in children with autism

Brooke Ingersoll  1
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Brief report: effect of a focused imitation intervention on social functioning in children with autism

Brooke Ingersoll. J Autism Dev Disord. 2012 Aug.

Abstract

Imitation is an early skill thought to play a role in social development, leading some to suggest that teaching imitation to children with autism should lead to improvements in social functioning. This study used a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effect of a focused imitation intervention on initiation of joint attention and social-emotional functioning in 27 young children with autism. Results indicated the treatment group made significantly more gains in joint attention initiations at post-treatment and follow-up and social-emotional functioning at follow-up than the control group. Although gains in social functioning were associated with treatment, a mediation analysis did not support imitation as the mechanism of action. These findings suggest the intervention improves social functioning in children with ASD.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Initiation of Joint Attention on the ESCS at Pre-Treatment, Post-Treatment, and Follow-up by Group. Error bars represent standard error.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Social-Emotional Functioning on the Social-Emotional Scale at Pre-Treatment and Follow-up by Group. Error bars represent standard error.
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