Academic Research: Evaluation of Comprehensive Treatment Models for Individuals with ASD

This article reviews comprehensive treatment models, which are interventions like the Denver Model, the Lovaas Model, Walden Model that occur over a long period of time, have multiple components and steps, and often occur over 25 hours per week.

The researchers look at how these models work in order to develop information and criteria that providers, families, and researchers could use to evaluate the various models that exist in order to determine which one they feel is most beneficial for their loved one with autism. They found that some models tended to have better development; that they have been well-documented, replicated; and that there is some evidence that they appear to positively impact the lives of those that use them. However, other models did not appear so well developed. They also noted that on the whole, the comprehensive treatment models are weaker in measuring how well they are run and in proving that they do have a positive impact in the lives of those that use them.

Author information: Odom SL, Boyd BA, Hall LJ, Hume K. (2010). Evaluation of comprehensive treatment models for individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 40(4), 425-426.

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