How Treatment Intensity and Duration Affect Different Autism Skills

A 2017 study published in Translational Psychiatry looked at how two key factors - treatment intensity (how many hours per week) and duration (how many months/years) - affect progress across different skill areas for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

What the Study Found

Researchers analyzed data from 1,468 children with ASD (ages 18 months to 12 years) who were receiving Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy. They examined eight different skill areas:

Academic skills
Adaptive skills
Cognitive skills
Executive function
Language
Motor skills
Play skills
Social skills

The study found that both more hours per week (intensity) and longer duration of therapy led to better outcomes across all skill areas. However, some skills showed bigger improvements than others. Language and academic skills showed the strongest response to treatment.

Why This Matters for Autism Families

This research confirms what many parents and therapists observe - that consistent, long-term therapy makes a difference. It also helps us understand that different skills may develop at different rates with therapy.

The finding that language and academic skills showed particularly strong responses to treatment intensity and duration may help families prioritize therapy goals or understand why some skills progress faster than others.

Practical Takeaways

Both weekly hours and long-term consistency matter in therapy
Progress may look different across skill areas - some skills take more time
Parents might see faster gains in language and academic areas compared to other skills
When possible, maintaining therapy over longer periods appears beneficial

Study Limitations

While this was a large study, it only looked at children receiving ABA therapy. Results might be different for other therapies. Also, every child is unique - these are general trends that may not apply to every individual.

You can read the full study here: An evaluation of the effects of intensity and duration on outcomes across treatment domains for children with autism spectrum disorder (Published September 19, 2017)