2011/09/01 by Louisa M. T. Silva, Mark Schalock, Kristen R. Gabrielsen · 1 citation
Medicine · Neuroscience · Psychology · #Alternative medicine #Autism #Autism Spectrum Disorder Research #Autism spectrum disorder #Child Nutrition and Feeding Issues #Clinical psychology #Family and Disability Support Research #Intervention (counseling) #Massage #Medicine #Parent training #Physical medicine and rehabilitation #Physical therapy #Psychiatry #Psychology #Randomized controlled trial #Trainer
paper · doi:10.5014/ajot.2011.000661
openalex publication_date 2011/09/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/07
A recent randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a dual parent and trainer-delivered qigong massage intervention for young children with autism resulted in improvement of measures of autism as well as improvement of abnormal sensory responses and self-regulation. The RCT evaluated the effects of the parent-delivered component of the intervention. Forty-seven children were randomly assigned to treatment and wait-list control groups. Treatment group children received the parent-delivered program for 4 mo. Trained therapists provided parent training and support. Improvement was evaluated in two settings--preschool and home--by teachers (blind to group) and parents. Results showed that the parent-delivered program was effective in improving measures of autism (medium effect size) and sensory and self-regulatory responses (large effect size). Teacher data on measures of autism were confirmed by parent data. Results indicate that the parent-delivered component of the program provided effective early intervention for autism that was suitable for delivery at home.