Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be diagnosed as early as 18 months of age. State Early Intervention (EI) programs under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) are serving increasing numbers of children with ASD; however, little is known about outcomes of these services. This study evaluated the impact of EI for toddlers with ASD (n = 193) and other disabilities (n = 129) and their families, using measures that included federal Part C outcome indicators. Children with ASD showed reduced maladaptive behaviors and improved social and communication skills on the PDD Behavior Inventory; some also made progress on the Part C child outcome indicators. Families of children with ASD reported that EI helped them achieve many outcomes identified as important to families participating in EI. Results provide a rich description of outcomes experienced by children with ASD and their families in one of the largest EI programs in the United States. Implications for results-driven accountability and future research are discussed.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 177-199 |
Number of pages | 23 |
Journal | Infants and Young Children |
Volume | 31 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2018 |
Keywords
- ASD
- Part C
- autism spectrum disorder
- child outcomes
- early intervention
- family outcomes
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Psychiatry and Mental health