Ten to 20 hours per week of one-on-one behavioral therapy can benefit mentally retarded children with autism. The therapy was more effective than mixed therapies in a mainstream kindergarten class.
Behavioral therapies such as applied behavioral analysis (ABA) in which children are treated one-on-one for 40 hours per week over a period of two years have been shown to be effective treatments for autism. Sometimes, however, parents want to reduce the amount of time spent in behavioral therapy in order to reduce stress on the child or to allow them time to interact with peers. This study compares the outcomes of 2 groups of children who were autistic and mentally retarded. One group of 13 boys received 10-20 hours per week of one-on-one behavior therapy. A second group of 15 boys received 2 or more of the following therapies: alternative communication; applied behavioral analysis (ABA); sensory motor therapy, or Division TEACCH in a mainstream kindergarten classroom. After two years the group receiving one-on-one behavioral therapy had larger gains in intellect, language comprehension, and behavior than did the group receiving mixed therapies. There were no differences between the two groups in daily living, socialization, or non-verbal intelligence skills.
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