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Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

Early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) for young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD)

Overview of attention for article published in Cochrane database of systematic reviews, May 2018
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  • In the top 5% of all research outputs scored by Altmetric
  • High Attention Score compared to outputs of the same age (98th percentile)
  • High Attention Score compared to outputs of the same age and source (94th percentile)

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Title
Early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) for young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD)
Published in
Cochrane database of systematic reviews, May 2018
DOI 10.1002/14651858.cd009260.pub3
Pubmed ID
Authors

Brian Reichow, Kara Hume, Erin E Barton, Brian A Boyd

Abstract

The rising prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) increases the need for evidence-based behavioral treatments to lessen the impact of symptoms on children's functioning. At present, there are no curative or psychopharmacological therapies to effectively treat all symptoms of the disorders. Early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) is a treatment based on the principles of applied behavior analysis. Delivered for multiple years at an intensity of 20 to 40 hours per week, it is one of the more well-established treatments for ASD. This is an update of a Cochrane review last published in 2012. To systematically review the evidence for the effectiveness of EIBI in increasing functional behaviors and skills, decreasing autism severity, and improving intelligence and communication skills for young children with ASD. We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, 12 additional electronic databases and two trials registers in August 2017. We also checked references and contacted study authors to identify additional studies. Randomized control trials (RCTs), quasi-RCTs, and controlled clinical trials (CCTs) in which EIBI was compared to a no-treatment or treatment-as-usual control condition. Participants must have been less than six years of age at treatment onset and assigned to their study condition prior to commencing treatment. We used standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane.We synthesized the results of the five studies using a random-effects model of meta-analysis, with a mean difference (MD) effect size for outcomes assessed on identical scales, and a standardized mean difference (SMD) effect size (Hedges' g) with small sample correction for outcomes measured on different scales. We rated the quality of the evidence using the GRADE approach. We included five studies (one RCT and four CCTs) with a total of 219 children: 116 children in the EIBI groups and 103 children in the generic, special education services groups. The age of the children ranged between 30.2 months and 42.5 months. Three of the five studies were conducted in the USA and two in the UK, with a treatment duration of 24 months to 36 months. All studies used a treatment-as-usual comparison group.Primary outcomesThere is low quality-evidence at post-treatment that EIBI improves adaptive behaviour (MD 9.58 (assessed using Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale (VABS) Composite; normative mean = 100, normative SD = 15), 95% confidence interval (CI) 5.57 to 13.60, P < 0.0001; 5 studies, 202 participants), and reduces autism symptom severity (SMD -0.34, 95% CI -0.79 to 0.11, P = 0.14; 2 studies, 81 participants; lower values indicate positive effects) compared to treatment as usual.No adverse effects were reported across studies.Secondary outcomesThere is low-quality evidence at post-treatment that EIBI improves IQ (MD 15.44 (assessed using standardized IQ tests; scale 0 to 100, normative SD = 15), 95% CI 9.29 to 21.59, P < 0.001; 5 studies, 202 participants); expressive (SMD 0.51, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.90, P = 0.01; 4 studies, 165 participants) and receptive (SMD 0.55, 95% CI 0.23 to 0.87, P = 0.001; 4 studies, 164 participants) language skills; and problem behaviour (SMD -0.58, 95% CI -1.24 to 0.07, P = 0.08; 2 studies, 67 participants) compared to treatment as usual. There is weak evidence that EIBI may be an effective behavioral treatment for some children with ASD; the strength of the evidence in this review is limited because it mostly comes from small studies that are not of the optimum design. Due to the inclusion of non-randomized studies, there is a high risk of bias and we rated the overall quality of evidence as 'low' or 'very low' using the GRADE system, meaning further research is very likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and is likely to change the estimate.It is important that providers of EIBI are aware of the current evidence and use clinical decision-making guidelines, such as seeking the family's input and drawing upon prior clinical experience, when making recommendations to clients on the use EIBI. Additional studies using rigorous research designs are needed to make stronger conclusions about the effects of EIBI for children with ASD.

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Mendeley readers

Mendeley readers

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Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
Spain 2 <1%
Unknown 762 100%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Student > Master 96 13%
Student > Bachelor 83 11%
Researcher 71 9%
Student > Ph. D. Student 59 8%
Student > Postgraduate 42 5%
Other 140 18%
Unknown 273 36%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Psychology 147 19%
Medicine and Dentistry 95 12%
Nursing and Health Professions 62 8%
Social Sciences 48 6%
Neuroscience 23 3%
Other 83 11%
Unknown 306 40%
Attention Score in Context

Attention Score in Context

This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 196. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 15 March 2024.
All research outputs
#203,186
of 25,519,924 outputs
Outputs from Cochrane database of systematic reviews
#349
of 13,146 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#4,541
of 341,359 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Cochrane database of systematic reviews
#12
of 193 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 25,519,924 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done particularly well and is in the 99th percentile: it's in the top 5% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 13,146 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a lot more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 35.7. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 97% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 341,359 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 98% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 193 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 94% of its contemporaries.