A study reviewed 16 studies that investigated the effects of interventions designed to increase early social communicative skills of young children with autism by increasing their role as initiator of social interactions. Positive changes were reported for social and affective behaviors. Limited generalization or maintenance of target behaviors…

A study compared 11 preschool children with developmental delays and 15 with autism to evaluate early vocal behaviors in young children with autism. Results indicated that children with autism did not have difficulty with the expression of well-formed syllables, however they did display significant impairments in vocal quality. (Contains…

A study of 202 patients with autism found the incidence of a dodecamer duplication in the HOPA gene was not significantly different between patients and controls. Three female patients inherited the duplication from nonautistic fathers. Also, there was no systematic skewing of X inactivation in female patients with the duplication. (Contains…

This article describes several features important in the success of using a behavioral model when treating individuals with autism and presents remaining issues to be addressed for improving treatment effectiveness. It urges future research to include strict empirical designs that allow for sound inferences regarding the parameters of treatment…

The sources of variability residing in the environment of individuals with autism and the implications for research studies are explored. Recommendations are provided for future research including research focusing on young children, on the methods needed to produce desirable outcomes, on relationships between behaviors, and on specific teaching…

This article discusses research findings in increasing language skills in children with autism, assessing and teaching precursors relating to positive outcome, the importance of family involvement in intervention, best practices for communicative interventions, interrelationships between language and other autistic behaviors, and the social and…

This article outlines five achievements of the last 20 years that have had or have the potential for a significant effect on the communication of individuals with autism, including greater understanding of the development of language and nonverbal communication in individuals with autism. Suggestions for future research are offered. (Contains…

This article reviews social interventions with demonstrated empirical support that facilitate socialization in children with autism. It reviews interventions by age group and by type of intervention used, beginning with interventions to improve preschoolers' social interaction, then moving to school-age children's interactions, and closing with…

This article reviews research on social interventions that facilitate socialization in children with autism. It urges researchers to measure not only the social interaction skills of young people with autism but also the social exchanges of their typical peers in order to better structure teaching activities for youngsters with autism. (Contains…

Evidence is reviewed on the prevalence of sensory and motor abnormalities in autism and the effectiveness of three interventions designed to address such abnormalities: sensory integration therapy, traditional occupational therapy, and auditory integration training. Results of these limited studies provided no firm support for the interventions.…

This commentary discusses the wide acceptance of and the expenditure of limited resources on unproven behavioral therapies for individuals with autism. Considerations that need to be reviewed before adopting a behavioral treatment are outlined, including the need to establish whether direct effects can be attributed to a treatment. (Contains 11…

Results from two studies indicate the nonselective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI) clomipramine is more efficacious than the relatively selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor desipramine and placebo in children with autism. A study of the selective SRI fluvoxamine found it to be significantly better than placebo for reducing repetitive…

This commentary discusses study results that indicate the nonselective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI) clomipramine is more efficacious than the relatively selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor desipramine and placebo in treating repetitive or ritualized behaviors in children with autism. The need for concurrent genetic and biochemical…

This article reviews the psychopharmacological treatment of aggression, mood disturbances, and self-injurious behavior in persons with autistic disorder. It highlights the use of dopaminergic drugs, serotonergic drugs, opioidergic drugs, adrenergic drugs, thymoleptic drugs, and glutamatergic drugs for their potential utility in treating…

This commentary uses self-injurious behavior to illustrate the approach of the functional analysis of behavior as a guide to rational treatment strategies for individuals with autism, and to show that the characteristics of the clinical presentations can provide clues for underlying mechanisms that can be used for research and treatment. (Contains…