Pivotal Response Treatment and Autism
Ranking:
Current Research
We have identified more than 40 scientific studies of pivotal response treatment as an intervention for autistic children, young people and adults peer-reviewed journals in English.
(Please note we have not included studies where pivotal response treatment was included as an element in multi-component programmes such as the Early Start Denver Model.)
These studies included more than 400 participants, with the majority aged between 2 and 7 years old - although 158 of those participants came from a single study by Baker-Ericzen, Stahmer and Burns (2007).
The majority of studies reported positive results for some participants. For example,
- Some researchers (such as Baker-Ericzen, Stahmer and Burns, 2007) reported significant improvements in adaptive functioning
- Some researchers (such as Harper, Symon and Frea, 2008) reported improvements in social skills, such as social initiations and turn taking
- Some researchers (such as Koegel et al, 1998) eported improvements in communication, such as the ability to ask questions.
- Some researchers (such as Hupp and Reitman, 2000) reported general improvements targeting one “pivotal” behaviour
- Some researchers (such as Koegel, Koegel, Surratt, 1992) reported improvements in responding and considerably less disruptive behaviour
- Some researchers (such as Stahmer, 1995) reported that children learned to perform complex and creative symbolic play.
- Updated
- 17 Jun 2022
- Last Review
- 01 Oct 2016
- Next Review
- 01 Feb 2023