Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2plfb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T08:30:06.089Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Parent Reports of Treatments and Interventions Used With Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD): A Review of the Literature

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 May 2014

Sarah Carlon ,
Jennifer Stephenson  and
Mark Carter
Sarah Carlon*
Affiliation:
Macquarie University Special Education Centre, Macquarie University, Australia
Jennifer Stephenson
Affiliation:
Macquarie University Special Education Centre, Macquarie University, Australia
Mark Carter
Affiliation:
Macquarie University Special Education Centre, Macquarie University, Australia
*
Correspondence: Sarah Carlon, Macquarie University Special Education Centre, Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia. E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

With the increasing number of treatment and intervention options for parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in recent years, the number and types of interventions that parents are choosing to use has become of interest. In the present paper, the authors review 41 articles (describing 42 studies) presenting quantitative data on intervention choices of parents of children with ASD. Speech therapy was the most commonly reported intervention for both current and lifetime use. Across the studies, parents were reported to be using a variety of interventions, from those with strong empirical support, such as applied behaviour analysis (ABA), to others that lacked such support, such as dietary interventions. Some differences in the data presented across studies may be attributed to the range of different methodologies used to collect the data. Recommendations for future research, including those related to collecting treatment usage data more consistently, are discussed.

Keywords

ASDautisminterventionstreatmentsparent reportreview
Type
Literature Review
Information
Australasian Journal of Special Education , Volume 38 , Issue 1 , July 2014 , pp. 63 - 90
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2014 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Akshoomoff, N., Stahmer, A.C., Corsello, C., & Mahrer, N.E. (2010). What happens next? Follow-up from the children's toddler school program. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 12, 245–253. doi:10.1177/1098300709343724CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Al Anbar, N.N., Dardennes, R.M., Prado-Netto, A., Kaye, K., & Contejean, Y. (2010). Treatment choices in autism spectrum disorder: The role of parental illness perceptions. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 31, 817–828. doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2010.02.007CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Aman, M.G., Lam, K.S.L., & Collier-Crespin, A. (2003). Prevalence and patterns of use of psychoactive medicines among individuals with autism in the Autism Society of Ohio. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 33, 527–534. doi:10.1023/a:1025883612879CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Aman, M.G., Van Bourgondien, M.E., Wolford, P.L., & Sarphare, G. (1995). Psychotropic and anticonvulsant drugs in subjects with autism: Prevalence and patterns of use. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 34, 1672–1681. doi:10.1097/00004583-199512000-00018Google Scholar
Amaral, D.G. (2011). The promise and the pitfalls of autism research: An introductory note for new autism researchers. Brain Research, 1380, 3–9. doi:10.1016/j.brainres.2010.11.077CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed., text revision). Washington, DC: Author.Google Scholar
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnositic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: Author.Google Scholar
Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. (2012, 24 September). Helping children with autism. Retrieved from http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/our-responsibilities/disability-and-carers/program-services/for-people-with-disability/helping-children-with-autism#7Google Scholar
Barnes, P.M., Bloom, B., & Nahin, R.L. (2008). Complementary and alternative medicine use among adults and children: United States, 2007 (National Health Statistic Reports, No. 12). Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr012.pdfGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bowker, A., D’Angelo, N.M., Hicks, R., & Wells, K. (2011). Treatments for autism: Parental choices and perceptions of change. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 41, 1373–1382. doi:10.1007/s10803-010-1164-yGoogle Scholar
Boyd, R.D., & Corley, M.J. (2001). Outcome survey of early intensive behavioral intervention for young children with autism in a community setting. Autism, 5, 430–441. doi:10.1177/1362361301005004007Google Scholar
Carter, M., Roberts, J., Williams, K., Evans, D., Parmenter, T., Silove, N., . . . Warren, A. (2011). Interventions used with an Australian sample of preschool children with autism spectrum disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 5, 1033–1041. doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2010.11.009Google Scholar
Cassidy, A., McConkey, R., Truesdale-Kennedy, M., & Slevin, E. (2008). Preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders: The impact on families and the supports available to them. Early Child Development and Care, 178, 115–128. doi:10.1080/03004430701491721CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Christon, L.M., Mackintosh, V.H., & Myers, B.J. (2010). Use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments by parents of children with autism spectrum disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 4, 249–259. doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2009.09.013CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dardennes, R.M., Al Anbar, N.N., Prado-Netto, A., Kaye, K., Contejean, Y., & Al Anbar, N.N. (2011). Treating the cause of illness rather than the symptoms: Parental causal beliefs and treatment choices in autism spectrum disorder. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 32, 1137–1146. doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2011.01.010Google Scholar
Erba, H.W. (2000). An exploration of alternative treatment use in young children with autistic spectrum disorders. Dissertation Abstracts International: Section A: Humanities and Social Sciences, 61 (11-A), 4337.Google Scholar
Goin-Kochel, R.P., Mackintosh, V.H., & Myers, B.J. (2009). Parental reports on the efficacy of treatments and therapies for their children with autism spectrum disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 3, 528–537. doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2008.11.001Google Scholar
Goin-Kochel, R.P., Myers, B.J., & Mackintosh, V.H. (2007). Parental reports on the use of treatments and therapies for children with autism spectrum disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 1, 195–209. doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2006.08.006Google Scholar
Green, V.A., Pituch, K.A., Itchon, J., Choi, A., O’Reilly, M., & Sigafoos, J. (2006). Internet survey of treatments used by parents of children with autism. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 27, 70–84. doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2004.12.002Google Scholar
Gurney, J.G., McPheeters, M.L., & Davis, M.M. (2006). Parental report of health conditions and health care use among children with and without autism: National Survey of Children's Health. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 160, 825–830. doi:10.1001/archpedi.160.8.825Google Scholar
Hanson, E., Kalish, L.A., Bunce, E., Curtis, C., McDaniel, S., Ware, J., & Petry, J. (2007). Use of complementary and alternative medicine among children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 37, 628–636. doi:10.1007/s10803-006-0192-0Google Scholar
Harrington, J.W., Patrick, P.A., Edwards, K.S., & Brand, D.A. (2006). Parental beliefs about autism: Implications for the treating physician. Autism, 10, 452–462. doi:10.1177/1362361306066609Google Scholar
Harrington, J.W., Rosen, L., Garnecho, A., & Patrick, P.A. (2006). Parental perceptions and use of complementary and alternative medicine practices for children with autistic spectrum disorders in private practice. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 27, S156–161. doi:10.1097/00004703-200604002-00014Google Scholar
Harvey, A.C., Harvey, M.T., Kenkel, M.B., & Russo, D.C. (2010). Funding of applied behavior analysis services: Current status and growing opportunities. Psychological Services, 7, 202–212. doi:10.1037/a0020445Google Scholar
Hume, K., Bellini, S., & Pratt, C. (2005). The usage and perceived outcomes of early intervention and early childhood programs for young children with autism spectrum disorder. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 25, 195–207. doi:10.1177/02711214050250040101CrossRefGoogle Scholar
King, S., Law, M., King, G., Kertoy, M., Hurley, P., & Rosenbaum, P. (2000). Children with disabilities in Ontario: A profile of children's services. Part 1: Children, families and services. Ontario, Canada: CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research. Retrieved from http://www.canchild.ca/en/ourresearch/resources/fcs2part1.pdfGoogle Scholar
Kohler, F.W. (1999). Examining the services received by young children with autism and their families: A survey of parent responses. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 14, 150–158. doi:10.1177/108835769901400304CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Langworthy-Lam, K.S., Aman, M.G., & Van Bourgondien, M.E. (2002). Prevalence and patterns of use of psychoactive medicines in individuals with autism in the Autism Society of North Carolina. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, 12, 311–321. doi:10.1089/104454602762599853CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Le Grice, B., & McMenamin, T. (2001, December). And then what happened? Interviews about parent use, expectations, and evaluations of therapies used by five families with children with autism in Canterbury. Paper presented at the New Zealand Association for Research in Education (NZARE), Christchurch, New Zealand. Retrieved from http://www.nzabe.ac.nz/conferences/2001/pdf/05_saturday_pm/LeGriceMcMenaminpaper.pdfGoogle Scholar
Levine, P., Marder, C., & Wagner, M. (2004). Services and supports for secondary school students with disabilities: A special topic report of findings from the National Longitudinal Study-2 (NLTS2) (SRI Project P11182). Menlo Park, CA: SRI International. Retrieved from http://www.nlts2.org/reports/2004_05/nlts2_report_2004_05_complete.pdfGoogle Scholar
Levy, S.E., Mandell, D.S., Merhar, S., Ittenbach, R.F., & Pinto-Martin, J.A. (2003). Use of complementary and alternative medicine among children recently diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 24, 418–423. doi:10.1097/00004703-200312000-00003CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mansell, W., & Morris, K. (2004). A survey of parents’ reactions to the diagnosis of an autistic spectrum disorder by a local service: Access to information and use of services. Autism, 8, 387–407. doi:10.1177/1362361304045213Google Scholar
Martin, A., Scahill, L., Klin, A., & Volkmar, F.R. (1999). Higher-functioning pervasive developmental disorders: Rates and patterns of psychotropic drug use. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 38, 923–931. doi:10.1097/00004583-199907000-00024Google Scholar
Matson, J.L., & Kozlowski, A.M. (2011). The increasing prevalence of autism spectrum disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 5, 418–425. doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2010.06.004Google Scholar
McConachie, H., & Robinson, G. (2006). What services do young children with autism spectrum disorder receive? Child: Care, Health and Development, 32, 553–557. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2214.2006.00672.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
McLennan, J.D., Huculak, S., & Sheehan, D. (2008). Brief report: Pilot investigation of service receipt by young children with autistic spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38, 1192–1196. doi:10.1007/s10803-007-0535-5Google Scholar
Metz, B., Mulick, J.A., & Butter, E.M. (2005). Autism: A late 20th century fad magnet. In Jacobson, J.W., Foxx, R.M., & Mulick, J.A. (Eds.), Controversial therapies for developmental disabilities: Fad, fashion, and science in professional practice (pp. 237–263). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Nassar, N., Dixon, G., Bourke, J., Bower, C., Glasson, E., de Klerk, N., & Leonard, H. (2009). Autism spectrum disorders in young children: Effect of changes in diagnostic practices. International Journal of Epidemiology, 38, 1245–1254. doi:10.1093/ije/dyp260Google Scholar
National Autism Center. (2009). The National Autism Center's national standards project findings and conclusions. Randolph, MA: Author.Google Scholar
Odom, S.L., Boyd, B.A., Hall, L.J., & Hume, K. (2010). Evaluation of comprehensive treatment models for individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 40, 425–436. doi:10.1007/s10803-009-0825-1Google Scholar
Reffert, L.A. (2008). Autism education and early intervention: What experts recommend and how parents and public schools provide. Dissertation Abstracts International: Section A: Humanities and Social Sciences, 69 (4-A), 1286.Google Scholar
Regehr, K., & Feldman, M. (2009). Parent-selected interventions for infants at-risk for autism spectrum disorders and their affected siblings. Behavioral Interventions, 24, 237–248. doi:10.1002/bin.291CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Renty, J., & Roeyers, H. (2006). Satisfaction with formal support and education for children with autism spectrum disorder: The voices of the parents. Child: Care, Health and Development, 32, 371–385. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2214.2006.00584.xGoogle Scholar
Prior, M., Roberts, J.M.A., Rodger, S., & Williams, K. (with Dodd, S., Ridley, G., & Sutherland, R.) (2011). A review of the research to identify the most effective models of practice in early intervention of children with autism spectrum disorders. Canberra: Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. Retrieved from http://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/09_2012/review_of_the_research_report_2011_0.pdfCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Robinson, P.L. (2008). An investigation of child and parent needs for students with Asperger Syndrome (AS), as compared to those with High Functioning Autism (HFA). Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The Sciences and Engineering, 70 (3-B), 1972.Google Scholar
Şenel, H.G. (2010). Parents’ views and experiences about complementary and alternative medicine treatments for their children with autistic spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 40, 494–503. doi:10.1007/s10803-009-0891-4Google Scholar
Shattuck, P.T., Wagner, M., Narendorf, S., Sterzing, P., & Hensley, M. (2011). Post-high school service use among young adults with an autism spectrum disorder. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 165, 141–146. doi:10.1001/archpediatrics.2010.279Google Scholar
Smith, T., & Antolovich, M. (2000). Parental perceptions of supplemental interventions received by young children with autism in intensive behavior analytic treatment. Behavioral Interventions, 15, 83–97. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1099-078X(200004/06)15:2<83::AID-BIN47>3.0.CO;2-WGoogle Scholar
Stuart, M. (2010). Autism insurance reform: A comparison of state initiatives. Indiana Health Law Review, 8, 497–538. Retrieved from http://journals.iupui.edu/index.php/ihlr/article/viewFile/2021/1895Google Scholar
Sussman, F. (n.d.). Research summary: More Than Words®: The Hanen Program® for parents of children with autism spectrum disorder. Retrieved from http://www.hanen.org/Helpful-Info/Research-Summaries/More-Than-Words-Research-Summary.aspxGoogle Scholar
Thomas, K.C., Ellis, A.R., McLaurin, C., Daniels, J., & Morrissey, J.P. (2007). Access to care for autism-related services. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 37, 1902–1912. doi:10.1007/s10803-006-0323-7Google Scholar
Thomas, K.C., Morrissey, J.P., & McLaurin, C. (2007). Use of autism-related services by families and children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 37, 818–829. doi:10.1007/s10803-006-0208-9Google Scholar
Williams, K., MacDermott, S., Ridley, G., Glasson, E.J., & Wray, J.A. (2008). The prevalence of autism in Australia. Can it be established from existing data? Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 44, 504–510. doi:10.1111/j.1440-1754.2008.01331.xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Witwer, A., & Lecavalier, L. (2005). Treatment incidence and patterns in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, 15, 671–681. doi:10.1089/cap.2005.15.671Google Scholar
Wong, H.H.L., & Smith, R.G. (2006). Patterns of complementary and alternative medical therapy use in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 36, 901–909. doi:10.1007/s10803-006-0131-0Google Scholar
Wong, V.C.N. (2009). Use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in autism spectrum disorder (ASD): Comparison of Chinese and western culture (Part A). Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 39, 454–463. doi:10.1007/s10803-008-0644-9CrossRefGoogle Scholar