Predictors of Treatment Outcome in Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Observational Study in the Greater Geneva Area, Switzerland

Abstract

This study aims to identify predictors of treatment outcome in young children with ASD within a European context, where service provision of intervention remains sporadic. We investigated whether a child's age at baseline, intensity of the intervention provided, type of intervention, child's level of social orienting and cognitive skills at baseline predicted changes in autistic symptoms and cognitive development after 1 year of intervention, in a sample of 60 children with ASD. Our results strongly support early and intensive intervention. We also observed that lower cognitive skills at baseline were related to greater cognitive gains. Finally, we show that a child's interest in social stimuli may contribute to intervention outcome.

Keywords: Community treatment; Early Start Denver Model; Early intervention; Intensity of intervention; Predictors; Social orienting.