Jamie Schwartz

Joint attention interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND A core social-communication deficit in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is limited joint attention behaviours-important in the diagnosis of ASD and shown to be a powerful predictor of later language ability. Various interventions have been used to train joint attention skills in children with ASD. However, it is unclear which participant, intervention and interventionist factors yield more positive results. AIMS The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to provide a quantitative assessment of the effectiveness of joint attention interventions aimed at improving joint attention abilities in children with ASD. METHODS & PROCEDURES The researchers searched six databases for studies meeting the inclusion criteria at two levels: title/abstract and full-text stages. Two independent coders completed data extraction using a coding manual and form developed specifically for this research study. Meta-analysis procedures were used to determine the overall effects of several comparisons including treatment type, treatment administrator, intervention characteristics and follow-up. MAIN CONTRIBUTION Fifteen randomized experimental studies met inclusion criteria. All comparisons resulted in statistically significant effects, though overlapping confidence intervals suggest that none of the comparisons were statistically different from each other. Specifically, treatment administrator, dosage and design (control or comparison, etc.) characteristics of the studies do not appear to produce significantly different effects. CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS The results of this meta-analysis provide strong support for explicit joint attention interventions for young children with ASD; however, it remains unclear which children with ASD respond to which type of intervention.

Added value of dialogic book reading for young children's vocabulary development

This review provides a summary and appraisal commentary on the treatment review by Mol, S. E., Bus, A. G., de Jong, M. T., & Smeets, D. J. H. (2008). Added value of dialogic parent–child book readings: A meta-analysis. Early Education & Development, 19, 7–26. Source of funding and disclosure of interest: This study was supported by Grant (#411–02–506) from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) to Adriana G. Bus; the original authors of this research report no conflicts of interest.

The development of writing skills in 4-year-old children with and without specific language impairment

ABSTRACT Research shows that many preschool children with specific language impairment (SLI) have difficulty acquiring literacy skills including phonological awareness, print concepts, and alphabet knowledge. Limited research suggests that preschool children with SLI also have difficulty with emergent writing tasks such as name writing and word writing. In typically developing children, research indicates that emergent writing skills are acquired in a developmental sequence: (1) linearity, (2) segmentation, (3) simple characters, (4) left-right orientation, (5) complex characters, (6) random letters, and (7) invented spelling. This study compared the emergent writing skills of 4-year-old children with SLI (n = 22) to their age- and gender-matched peers (n = 22). Results indicated that children with SLI demonstrate difficulty with a variety of writing tasks, including letter writing, name writing, word writing, and sentence writing when compared to their typically-developing peers. Children with SLI followed the same developmental sequence in acquiring writing skills as their typically-developing peers.

The Contributions of Phonological Awareness, Alphabet Knowledge, and Letter Writing to Name Writing in Children With Specific Language Impairment and Typically Developing Children

Purpose Name writing is one aspect of emergent writing that has been used to understand emergent literacy development. Name-writing skills and the relationship of name writing to other emergent literacy skills have not been studied extensively in children with specific language impairment (SLI). Children with SLI consistently demonstrate delays in phonological awareness (PA), alphabet knowledge (AK), print awareness, and emergent writing. The purpose of this study was to examine the contributions of PA, AK, and letter writing to name writing in children with SLI and typically developing (TD) children. Method Participants were 65 children (22 SLI, 43 TD) with an average age of 53 months. Participants completed the Assessment of Literacy and Language (Lombardino, Lieberman, & Brown, 2005), a letter-writing task, and a name-writing task. Results Data were analyzed using correlation and mediation modeling. Mediation modeling, a more sophisticated analysis, revealed that PA, AK, and letter writing, in serial, were mediating variables for language status on name writing. Conclusion Phonemic awareness, AK, and letter writing help to explain the relationship between language status and name writing. These skills should be integrated during treatment, using a horizontal approach with developmentally appropriate activities, particularly for children with SLI.

Insufficient methodologically-sound evidence exists for the use of computer-based interventions to teach communication skills to individuals with autism

Ramdoss, S., Lang, R., Mulloy, A., Franco, J., O’Reilly, M., Didden, R., & Lancioni, G. (2011). Use of computer-based instructions to teach communication skills to children with autism spectrum disorders: A systemic review. Journal of Behavioral Education, 20, 55–76. Sources of Funding and Declaration of Interests: No source of funding was reported and no conflicts of interests were reported.

Intervention program improves literacy skills for students with severe developmental disabilities

Browder, D., Ahlgrim-Delzell, L., Flowers, C., & Baker, J. (2012). An evaluation of a multicomponent early literacy program for students with severe developmental disabilities. Remedial and Special Education, 33, 237–246. Source of funding and disclosure of interest: The authors declared that Browder and Ahlgrim-Delzell authored the ELSB. The study was supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Educational Sciences; the original authors of this research report no conflicts of interest.

Alphabet instruction has significant impact on alphabet learning

This review provides a summary and appraisal commentary on the treatment review by Piasta, S. B., & Wagner, R. K. (2010). Developing early literacy skills: A meta-analysis of alphabet learning and instruction. Reading Research Quarterly, 45, 8–18. Source of funding and disclosure of interest: This study was supported by a Pre-doctoral Interdisciplinary Research Training Grant from the Institute of Education Sciences; the original authors of this research report no conflicts of interest.

School-based social-skills interventions demonstrate minimally effective results for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder1

1 Abstracted from: Bellini, S., Peters, J. K., Brenner, L., & Hopf, A. (2007). A meta-analysis of school-based social skills interventions for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Remedial and Special Education, 28, 153–162. Source of funding: The review was supported by the US Department of Education