Early Intervention for Young Autistic Children: What the Evidence Tells Us

In this roundtable discussion, Drs. Anderson, Sandbank, and Sneed will examine the current state of evidence for treatments for young autistic children. The session will explore approaches such as Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs), parent-mediated programs, Early Intervention (EI) services, and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).

Presenters will review what the research currently supports, identify gaps in the evidence, and highlight areas in need of further study. The conversation will address efficacy, methodological strengths and limitations, dosage effects, and ethical considerations. Participants will leave with a nuanced understanding of the evidence base and strengthened skills to critically evaluate research and thoughtfully assess standards for individualized clinical and educational practices.

Learning Objectives

• Identify three well-established interventions for young autistic children, and summarize the current state of research supporting each
• Evaluate the methodological strengths, limitations, and ethical considerations of two existing studies in order to critically appraise the quality and applicability of the evidence
• Apply an evidence-informed framework to assess dosage effects and guide individualized clinical and educational decision-making across at least one published study

Speakers

Cynthia M. Anderson,
Ph.D., BCBA-D
Chief Clinical Officer,
Avela Health

Micheal Sandbank, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, University North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Lindsey Sneed,
Ph.D., BCBA-D

Vice President, Clinical Excellence, Catalight