Integrating the ESDM in ASD Preschools in Israel (ESDM-ISR)

Bar-Ilan University, Israel

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Autism Spectrum Disorder

Treatments: Behavioral: Eclectic preschool intervention; Behavioral: Early Start Denver Model

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03362840

BarIlanU

Details and patient eligibility

About

The current study evaluates the effectiveness of the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) when integrated in existing community preschools for children with ASD. The study compares developmental gains made a group of children receiving preschool-based ESDM compared to a group of children receiving eclectic interventions in their preschools (treatment as usual).

Full description

The Early Start Denver Model is a comprehensive treatment model for young children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), which builds upon behavioral, relationship, play-based and developmental theories and practices. Utilizing the plasticity of the young brain, while managing social attention, employing multi-modal teaching, and tapping into the child's motivation, the ESDM aims to alter the child's developmental trajectories by creating rich and meaningful learning experiences in daily and naturalistic routines. This model focuses on all areas of development, with significant stress on communication, language, social skills, play and imitation. In the ESDM, parents are seen as a main motivational factor for the child, and a focal part in planning and implementing key components of the intervention.

Currently, community preschool settings are the main providers of intervention programs for children with ASD in Israel. The prevalent mode of intervention in these settings is a multi-disciplinary eclectic model, in which professionals from various disciplines deliver intervention comprising several theories and practices. While quite ubiquitous, this type of intervention was shown in previous research as less effective than specialized, comprehensive treatment models.

The ESDM was previously shown efficacious in intensive home-based delivery, and effective as a center-based group model. However, there are currently no studies that assess the effectiveness of the ESDM when integrated in existing community preschool settings. Additionally, previous research in center-based group delivery of the ESDM did not focus on the effects of routine parental involvement in child treatment (when delivered in a preschool setting) on child and parental outcomes. The current study aims to explore the effects of ESDM implementation in community preschool settings, together with incorporation of parents in the treatment process.

Enrollment: 59 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 3 to 6 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Children learning in ASD schools with a diagnosis of ASD validated by the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule - 2nd edition.
• ESDM group: parents who have agreed to participate in weekly joint sessions at the preschool.

Exclusion criteria

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Factorial Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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59 participants in 2 patient groups

Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) group

Experimental group

Description:

The ESDM is a manualized comprehensive treatment model for young children (12-48 months). In the preschool based ESDM, learning objectives are guided by the ESDM curriculum checklist, which includes developmental skills in language, play, motor skills, personal independence, imitation and cognition.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Early Start Denver Model

Eclectic preschool intervention group

Active Comparator group

Description:

The eclectic approach consists of a combination of methods from several treatment-models. Individualized educational plans are based on multi-disciplinary assessment, and include objectives in several domains - communication, social-skills, play, emotional adjustment, adaptive daily skills, motor skills and cognition. They are presented to parents at the beginning of the year and are reviewed by the staff three times a year.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Eclectic preschool intervention