Journal of Primeasia
Integrative Disciplinary Research | Online ISSN 3064-9870 | Print ISSN 3069-4353
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Volume 3 Number 1 2022
RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)
From ABA to Family-Centered Care: Evolving Evidence for Behavioral Interventions in Autism Spectrum Disorder—A Comparative Effectiveness of EIBI, ESDM, CBT, and Parent-Mediated Interventions
Md Shafiqul Islam1*, Happy Akter2
Journal of Primeasia 3 (1) 1-8 https://doi.org/10.25163/primeasia.3110786
Submitted: 09 January 2022 Revised: 07 March 2022 Accepted: 07 March 2022 Published: 09 March 2022
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) continues to present profound developmental, emotional, and social challenges across the lifespan, yet the effectiveness of behavioral interventions remains unevenly understood due to substantial methodological and conceptual variability across studies. This systematic review critically synthesized evidence surrounding major behavioral intervention models for ASD, including Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI), Early Start Denver Model (ESDM), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and parent-mediated interventions. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, nine primary studies and multiple meta-analytic investigations were examined to evaluate intervention effectiveness across cognitive, adaptive, emotional, communicative, and family-centered outcome domains. Overall, behavioral interventions demonstrated favorable outcomes across most developmental domains, although the magnitude of benefit varied considerably by intervention type, participant age, and methodological rigor. ESDM demonstrated the strongest pooled cognitive improvement (g = 1.37), while CBT showed particularly robust effects for anxiety reduction among autistic adolescents and young adults. Parent-mediated interventions produced meaningful reductions in disruptive behaviors alongside modest improvements in caregiver stress. EIBI remained associated with improvements in IQ and adaptive functioning, though concerns regarding evidence heterogeneity and methodological quality persisted. The findings collectively suggest that contemporary autism intervention science is gradually shifting away from exclusively therapist-driven behavioral normalization models toward more individualized, naturalistic, emotionally responsive, and family-integrated approaches. Nevertheless, substantial gaps remain regarding adult-focused interventions, long-term outcome sustainability, and standardized measurement frameworks across diverse autistic populations.
Keywords: Autism Spectrum Disorder; Behavioral Intervention; Early Start Denver Model; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Parent-Mediated Intervention; Applied Behavior Analysis
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