ABSTRACT

Objective: To examine the development of executive functions, in preschool children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), receiving early intensive behavioral training (EIBI).

Method: Executive functions (EF) were assessed with The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function – Preschool Version (BRIEF-P), by parents and preschool teachers at the time of diagnostic assessment and after 15 months of EIBI intervention. Ten children with ASD (M = 2.9 years, nine males) participated in the study. Reliable Change Index scores were computed for each of the participants in order to investigate any significant change in BRIEF-P T-scores.

Results: Three children showed a significant improvement in EF, based on parent ratings. Four children showed a significant improvement in EF based on preschool teacher ratings.

Conclusion: Findings indicating a reliable improvement in one third of preschool children with ASD receiving EIBI are encouraging but need to be replicated in larger scale controlled studies.

摘要

目的：研究自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）学龄前儿童接受早期强化行为训练（EIBI）的执行功能的发展。

方法：在诊断性评估时以及在EIBI干预15个月后，由父母和学前班教师通过“执行功能行为评估量表-学前版本”（BRIEF-P）对执行功能进行评估。十名ASD儿童（M = 2.9岁，九名男性）参加了研究。为调查每个参与者，计算了可靠的变化指数分数，以调查BILE-P T分数的任何重大变化。

结果：根据父母的评分，三名儿童的EF明显改善。根据学龄前老师的评分，有四个孩子的EF有了显着改善。

结论：研究结果表明接受EIBI的ASD学龄前儿童中有三分之一得到了可靠的改善，这是令人鼓舞的，但需要在大规模对照研究中进行重复。