Age at intervention and treatment outcome for autistic children in a comprehensive intervention program

This study compared the treatment outcomes of nine autistic children who began receiving intensive behavioral intervention prior to 60 months of age with outcomes for nine other children who entered the same intervention program after 60 months of age. The 18 children in the sample included all of the children served by the Princeton Child Development Institute's day school and treatment program during the period 1975–83 who were diagnosed autistic and who had either (a) achieved positive discharge or (b) been enrolled in the program for 24 months or longer and continued to receive program services. Age at program entry was found to be strongly related to positive treatment outcome (i.e., to children's continued residence with their natural parents and attendance at public school classes). This investigation underlines the importance of early behavioral intervention for autistic children.