中華心理衛生協會

Purpose: This article reviews intervention research of 7 comprehensive early interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methods: Smith et al.’s (2007) four-step research model is used to review the current research statuses of 7 comprehensive early intervention models from 1987 through October 2015, which are Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI); Developmental Individual-Difference, Relationship-Based Model (DIR); Relationship Development Intervention (RDI); Pivotal Response Training (PRT); Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communicational Handicapped Children (TEACCH); Early Start Denver Model (ESDM); and Social-communication, Emotional Regulation, and Transactional Support (SCERTS). The four-step research model was indicated in a sequence of steps, (I) formulation and systematic application of a new intervention technique, (II) developing a manual and research plan for evaluation of the intervention across sites, (III) randomized clinical trials (RCTs), and (IV) community effectiveness studies. Results: The intervention research statuses of 7 comprehensive early interventions were somehow dissimilar. Intervention research of PRT has been done in research step IV, but more research using randomized clinical trials (RCT) is needed. The research statuses in EIBI, DIR, TEACCH, ESDM, and SCERTS are all in research Step III. However, only intervention research of ESDM followed the sequence of steps, there are still some research weakness in EIBI, DIR, TEACCH and SCERTS. Intervention research of RDI has not yet met the criterion of research step I. Conclusions: We propose suggestions for future research based on our analysis of the current status of intervention research. Researchers in Taiwan still have not initiated any studies investigating the efficacy or effectiveness of comprehensive intervention models in the local context, except for a few case reports. There is an urgent need in Taiwan to match the international standard.