Abstract
To determine the effects of non-pharmacological randomised controlled trials in adults with autism, a systematic review was conducted across five electronic databases. A total of 3865 abstracts were retrieved, of which 41 articles met all inclusion criteria: randomised controlled trial; non-pharmacological intervention; adults with autism; and English publication. Twenty included studies had strong methodological quality ratings. No meta-analysis could be performed due to heterogeneity between studies. Articles reported on interventions for (1) social functioning and language skills, (2) vocational rehabilitation outcomes, (3) cognitive skills training, and (4) independent living skills. Social functioning was the most studied intervention. PEERS for young adults and Project SEARCH plus ASD support interventions had the strongest evidence. Emerging evidence suggests non-pharmacological interventions could be effective.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 249–279 |
| Number of pages | 31 |
| Journal | Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders |
| Volume | 9 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Early online date | 12 Apr 2021 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jun 2022 |
Bibliographical note
Copyright the Author(s) 2021. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.Keywords
- autism spectrum disorder
- non-pharmacological intervention
- randomised control trials