The Effect of Pivotal Response Treatment in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Non-randomized Study with a Blinded Outcome Measure

Purpose of this quasi-experimental trial was to investigate the effect of Pivotal response treatment (PRT) versus treatment as usual (TAU) on autism symptoms. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), aged 3-8 years, received either PRT (n = 11) or TAU (n = 13). Primary outcome measure was the total score on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule at pre- and posttreatment. Additionally, general problem behavior and parental stress levels were measured. Children in the PRT condition improved on the primary outcome measure compared to the TAU group with a small effect size [partial η2 = 0.22 (95 % CI 0.00-0.46)]. Neither group demonstrated significant changes in the secondary outcomes. This study suggests that PRT may improve autism symptoms in children with ASD over TAU.