Feasibility and Preliminary Efficacy of a Caregiver-Assisted Group-Based Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention Program for Autistic Preschoolers: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.
Guan-Jye Seng, Ji-Yu Lin, Wei-Lieh Huang et al.
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In 30 seconds
This pilot randomized controlled trial evaluated a caregiver-assisted, group-based Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention (NDBI) for autistic children aged 2 to 5 years. The study found that both group and one-on-one NDBI programs led to significant improvements in verbal development, social interaction, adaptive functioning, and caregiver stress. However, only the one-on-one group showed significant gains in nonverbal development.
Key findings
- Both intervention groups showed significant improvements in verbal development and social interaction over time.
- A significant time-by-group interaction was observed for nonverbal development, favoring the one-on-one NDBI group.
- Caregivers in both groups reported reduced stress levels after the interventions.
- The group-based NDBI model was found to be feasible and acceptable for participants.
Why it matters
The findings highlight the potential of group-based NDBI as a scalable and cost-effective intervention for young autistic children, which may improve access to early intervention services for families facing barriers to individualized therapy.