49602
document
A randomized controlled trial of Hanen 's 'More Than Words ' in toddlers with early autism symptoms . BACKGROUND This randomized controlled trial compared Hanen 's 'More than Words ' ( HMTW ) , a parent-implemented intervention , to a 'business as usual ' control group . METHODS Sixty-two children ( 51 boys and 11 girls ; M age = 20 months ; SD = 2.6 ) who met criteria for autism spectrum disorders ( ASD ) and their parents participated in the study . The HMTW intervention was provided over 3.5 months . There were three measurement periods : prior to randomization ( Time 1 ) and at 5 and 9 months post enrollment ( Times 2 and 3 ) . Children 's communication and parental responsivity were measured at each time point . Children 's object interest , a putative moderator , was measured at Time 1 . RESULTS There were no main effects of the HMTW intervention on either parental responsivity or children 's communication . However , the effects on residualized gains in parental responsivity from Time 1 to both Times 2 and 3 yielded noteworthy effect sizes ( Glass 's Δ = .71 , .50 respectively ) . In contrast , there were treatment effects on child communication gains to Time 3 that were moderated by children 's Time 1 object interest . Children with lower levels of Time 1 object interest exhibited facilitated growth in communication ; children with higher levels of object interest exhibited growth attenuation . CONCLUSIONS The HMTW intervention showed differential effects on child communication depending on a baseline child factor . HMTW facilitated communication in children with lower levels of Time 1 object interest . Parents of children who evidence higher object interest may require greater support to implement the HMTW strategies , or may require different strategies than those provided by the HMTW curriculum .
49603
Intervention_Educational
Hanen 's 'More Than Words '
49604
Intervention_Educational
Hanen 's 'More than Words ' ( HMTW ) , a parent-implemented intervention
49605
Intervention_Control
'business as usual ' control
49606
Intervention_Educational
HMTW intervention
49607
Outcome_Mental
Children 's communication and parental responsivity
49608
Outcome_Mental
Children 's object interest , a putative moderator
49609
Outcome_Mental
parental responsivity
49610
Outcome_Mental
children 's communication
49611
Outcome_Mental
parental responsivity
49612
Participant_Condition
toddlers with early autism symptoms .