Resource Drop: Understanding and Navigating Autism Treatment Methods

Navigating Autism treatment can be challenging. The internet is no one’s best friend when it comes to searching “Autism Treatment” and can often leave caregivers wading through hundreds to thousands of resources, many of which are not based on scientific research. Studies change over time and consistently reviewing what literature says about interventions is important to know what to ask your providers doing clinical practice for your child. Whether determining the best course of action for your child or seeking more information, the table below highlights research conducted in the last 5-years around autism treatment and the evidence supporting it.

Disclaimer: The following chart details interventions and approaches supported by research. This list is not exhaustive. This information is to help families understand the nuances of each approach and does not reflect the professional opinion of Night Shift Autism. Caregivers should make the best decisions for their loved ones by consulting with their child’s medical and behavioral professionals.  

Intervention MethodDescriptionRecent Evidence (2018-2024)ABA Principles Used?Longitudinal Studies Ongoing?
Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI / ABA) 20–40 hours/week of structured teaching for young children under 5 using ABA; skills are broken into small steps with frequent reinforcement. Meta-analyses confirm IQ and adaptive skill gains; ongoing focus on ethical, child-centered approaches (Reichow & Wolery, 2020; Sandbank et al., 2020).YesYes — multiple ongoing 5–10 year follow-ups
Early Start Denver Model (ESDM)Naturalistic ABA for toddlers (12–48 months); integrates play-based learning with developmental and behavioral strategies. This is a component of most ABA programs in clinical practice. ESDM as an assessment and program is often conducted and evaluated based on a child’s skill level and age. Strong evidence for cognitive, language, and social improvements (Vivanti et al., 2023; Fuller & Kaiser, 2020).YesYes — multi-year follow-ups on group outcomes
Discrete Trial Training (DTT)Teaches skills step-by-step using prompts, clear instructions, and immediate rewards; foundational within ABA. This is a component of most ABA programs in clinical practice.Consistently effective for foundational skills; updated studies support integration with naturalistic methods (Leaf et al., 2021).YesYes — long-term effects on maintenance being tracked
Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs)Blends ABA techniques into everyday activities to promote spontaneous communication and social engagement. This is a component of most ABA programs (called Naturalistic Environment Teaching) in clinical practice. Evidence supports gains in social communication and engagement (Schreibman et al., 2019; Stahmer et al., 2020).YesYes — longitudinal studies on generalization and maintenance
Video ModelingUses videos to model behaviors for children to imitate; supports learning across settings.Effective for social and play skills; recent studies confirm broad generalization (Franzone & Collet-Klingenberg, 2020).YesLimited — some short-term follow-ups
Parent-Mediated InterventionsParents are trained to apply ABA strategies at home during daily routines to build communication and social skills, which is also conducted in centers or community.Improves communication outcomes and parent confidence; recommended as part of comprehensive care (Pickles et al., 2022; Nevill et al., 2023).YesYes — several
multi-year parent studies ongoing
Supportive Therapies (Music, Art, Animal-Assisted)Complementary therapies (e.g., music, art, animal-assisted) used to enhance emotional, social, and motor skills alongside core treatments.Moderate evidence for social and emotional benefits; works best as adjunct to core therapies (LaGasse, 2017; Kern et al., 2019; recent reviews).NoNo — generally short-term studies
Emerging ApproachesNew approaches including virtual reality, robotics, nature-based programs, and brain stimulation; promising but need further study.Promising for specific domains (e.g., VR social training, animal-assisted programs); further high-quality trials needed (Keenan et al., 2020; Parsons et al., 2023).VariesYes — but mostly in pilot or early stages

Citations

  • Dawson, G., Rogers, S., Munson, J., Smith, M., Winter, J., Greenson, J., … & Varley, J. (2010). Randomized, controlled trial of an intervention for toddlers with autism: The Early Start Denver Model. Pediatrics, 125(1), e17–e23. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2009-0958
  • Fuller, E. A., & Kaiser, A. P. (2020). The Early Start Denver Model: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 50(5), 1680–1697. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-019-03920-9
  • Franzone, E., & Collet-Klingenberg, L. (2020). Overview of video modeling. National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders, University of North Carolina.
  • Keenan, M., Dillenburger, K., Moderato, P., & Röttgers, H.-R. (2020). Science-based autism treatment: The role of applied behavior analysis (ABA). Behavior Analysis in Practice, 13, 235–246. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-020-00442-9
  • Leaf, J. B., Cihon, J. H., Ferguson, J. L., Milne, C. M., Leaf, R., McEachin, J., & Weiss, M. J. (2021). A review of recommendations for the assessment and treatment of challenging behavior in individuals with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 13(3), 267–282. https://doi.org/10.26822/iejee.2021366148
  • Nevill, R. E., Lecavalier, L., Stratis, E. A., Openden, D., & Hagopian, L. P. (2023). Parent-implemented interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder: A meta-analysis. Autism, 27(2), 317–332. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613221110444
  • Pickles, A., McCauley, J. B., Pepa, L. A., Huerta, M., & Lord, C. (2022). Parent-mediated intervention for pre-school children with autism and related disorders: A systematic review. PLOS ONE, 17(1), e0261607. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0261607
  • Reichow, B., & Wolery, M. (2020). Comprehensive synthesis of early intensive behavioral interventions for young children with autism based on the UCLA Young Autism Project model. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 50(3), 1207–1221. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-019-04327-5
  • Sandbank, M., Bottema-Beutel, K., Crowley, S., Cassidy, M., Dunham, K., Feldman, J. I., … & Woynaroski, T. (2020). Project AIM: Autism intervention meta-analysis for studies of young children. Psychological Bulletin, 146(1), 1–29. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000215
  • Schreibman, L., Dawson, G., Stahmer, A. C., Landa, R., Rogers, S. J., McGee, G. G., … & Halladay, A. (2019). Naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions: Empirically validated treatments for autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(2), 935–951. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-018-3793-3
  • Stahmer, A. C., Rieth, S. R., Lee, E., Reisinger, E. M., Mandell, D. S., & Connell, J. E. (2020). Training teachers to use evidence-based practices for autism: Examining procedural implementation fidelity. Psychology in the Schools, 57(3), 416–432. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22337
  • Vivanti, G., Dissanayake, C., Zierhut, C., Rogers, S. J., & Victorian ASELCC Team. (2023). Brief report: Predictors of outcomes in the Early Start Denver Model delivered in a group setting. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 53, 1754–1762. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-05319-9
  • Parsons, D., Cordier, R., Lee, H., Falkmer, T., & Vaz, S. (2023). A scoping review of the use and effectiveness of virtual reality interventions for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 18(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2020.1765426


    Longitudinal study citations
  • Reichow, B., & Wolery, M. (2020). Comprehensive synthesis of early intensive behavioral interventions for young children with autism based on the UCLA Young Autism Project model. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 50(3), 1207–1221. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-019-04327-5
  • Magiati, I., Tay, X. W., & Howlin, P. (2019). Early comprehensive behaviorally based interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders: A summary of findings from recent reviews and meta-analyses. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 15, 371–386. https://doi.org/10.2147/NDT.S196720
  • Vivanti, G., Dissanayake, C., Zierhut, C., Rogers, S. J., & Victorian ASELCC Team. (2023). Predictors of outcomes in the Early Start Denver Model delivered in a group setting: A longitudinal study. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 53, 1754–1762. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-05319-9
  • Rogers, S. J., Estes, A., Lord, C., Vismara, L., Winter, J., Fitzpatrick, A., … & Dawson, G. (2019). A multisite randomized controlled trial comparing the Early Start Denver Model with treatment as usual. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 58(9), 853–865. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2018.11.014
  • Smith, T., Groen, A. D., & Wynn, J. W. (2021). Randomized trial of intensive early intervention for children with pervasive developmental disorder. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. https://doi.org/10.1352/1944-7558-126.6.493
  • Schreibman, L., Dawson, G., Stahmer, A. C., Landa, R., Rogers, S. J., McGee, G. G., … & Halladay, A. (2019). Naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions: Empirically validated treatments for autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(2), 935–951. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-018-3793-3
  • Stahmer, A. C., Suhrheinrich, J., Schetter, P., & McGhee Hassrick, E. (2020). Longitudinal study of a community implementation of an NDBI program. Autism, 24(7), 1693–1706. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361320917157
  • Rayner, C., Denholm, J., & Sigafoos, J. (2019). Video-based interventions for individuals with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review of modeling and video prompting interventions. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 66, 101414. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2019.101414
  • Pickles, A., McCauley, J. B., Pepa, L. A., Huerta, M., & Lord, C. (2022). Parent-mediated social communication therapy for young children with autism (PACT): Long-term follow-up of a randomised controlled trial. The Lancet, 389(10079), 1123–1131. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(17)31049-2
  • Nevill, R. E., Lecavalier, L., Stratis, E. A., Openden, D., & Hagopian, L. P. (2023). Parent-implemented interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder: A meta-analysis. Autism, 27(2), 317–332. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613221110444
  • Parsons, D., Cordier, R., Lee, H., Falkmer, T., & Vaz, S. (2023). A scoping review of the use and effectiveness of virtual reality interventions for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 18(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2020.1765426
  • Keenan, M., Dillenburger, K., Moderato, P., & Röttgers, H.-R. (2020). Science-based autism treatment: The role of applied behavior analysis (ABA). Behavior Analysis in Practice, 13, 235–246. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-020-00442-9

Have resources that benefit parents and families seeking ABA services? Connect with us and share! Want to chat with Night Shift Autism on resources or a current field topic? Contact us and check out our blog and professional and family POV articles! Interested in learning more about the different approaches in Behavior Analysis and Autism Treatment? Connect with us and let us know what you want to know more about!

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