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A randomized controlled trial of Pivotal Response Treatment Group for parents of children with autism . BACKGROUND With rates of autism diagnosis continuing to rise , there is an urgent need for effective and efficient service delivery models . Pivotal Response Treatment ( PRT ) is considered an established treatment for autism spectrum disorder ( ASD ) ; however , there have been few well-controlled studies with adequate sample size . The aim of this study was to conduct a randomized controlled trial to evaluate PRT parent training group ( PRTG ) for targeting language deficits in young children with ASD . METHODS Fifty-three children with autism and significant language delay between 2 and 6 years old were randomized to PRTG ( N = 27 ) or psychoeducation group ( PEG ; N = 26 ) for 12 weeks . The PRTG taught parents behavioral techniques to facilitate language development . The PEG taught general information about ASD ( clinical trial NCT01881750 ; http : //www.clinicaltrials.gov ) . RESULTS Analysis of child utterances during the structured laboratory observation ( primary outcome ) indicated that , compared with children in the PEG , children in the PRTG demonstrated greater improvement in frequency of utterances ( F ( 2 , 43 ) = 3.53 , p = .038 , d = 0.42 ) . Results indicated that parents were able to learn PRT in a group format , as the majority of parents in the PRTG ( 84 % ) met fidelity of implementation criteria after 12 weeks . Children also demonstrated greater improvement in adaptive communication skills ( Vineland-II ) following PRTG and baseline Mullen visual reception scores predicted treatment response to PRTG . CONCLUSIONS This is the first randomized controlled trial of group-delivered PRT and one of the largest experimental investigations of the PRT model to date . The findings suggest that specific instruction in PRT results in greater skill acquisition for both parents and children , especially in functional and adaptive communication skills . Further research in PRT is warranted to replicate the observed results and address other core ASD symptoms .
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Intervention_Educational
Pivotal Response Treatment Group
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Intervention_Educational
Pivotal Response Treatment ( PRT
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Intervention_Physical
)
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Intervention_Educational
PRT parent training group ( PRTG )
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Outcome_Other
Analysis of child utterances during the structured laboratory observation
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Outcome_Mental
demonstrated greater improvement in frequency of utterances
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Outcome_Other
demonstrated greater improvement in adaptive communication skills ( Vineland-II )
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Outcome_Other
PRT results in greater skill acquisition for both parents
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Outcome_Other
especially in functional and adaptive communication
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Participant_Condition
parents of children with autism
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Participant_Age
young children
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Participant_Condition
ASD
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Participant_Sample-size
Fifty-three
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Participant_Age
children
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Participant_Condition
autism
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Participant_Age
between 2 and 6 years old
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Participant_Sample-size
27
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Participant_Sample-size
26