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. 2013;7(4):150-174.
doi: 10.1080/17489539.2014.917780.

Social communication intervention effects vary by dependent variable type in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders

Paul J Yoder  1 , Kristen Bottema-Beutel  2 , Tiffany Woynaroski  3 , Rameela Chandrasekhar  4 , Michael Sandbank  1
Affiliations

Social communication intervention effects vary by dependent variable type in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders

Paul J Yoder et al. Evid Based Commun Assess Interv. 2013.

Abstract

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have difficulty communicating in ways that are primarily for initiating and maintaining social relatedness (i.e., social communication). We hypothesized that the way researchers measured social communication would affect whether treatment effects were found. Using a best evidence review method, we found that treatments were shown to improve social communication outcomes approximately 54% of the time. The probability that a treatment affected social communication varied greatly depending on whether social communication was directly targeted (63%) or not (39%). Finally, the probability that a treatment affected social communication also varied greatly depending on whether social communication as measured in (a) contexts very similar to treatment sessions (82%) or (b) contexts that differed from treatment on at least setting, materials, and communication partner (33%). This paper also provides several methodological contributions.

Keywords: Autism spectrum disorders; Early intervention; Measurement; Research synthesis; Systematic review.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest and are solely responsible for the content of this article.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Study exclusion process.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Variable proximity decision tree.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Variable boundedness decision tree.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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