The Evidence Behind the Practice

In the original 1987 research study by O. Ivar Lovaas, 47% of children with autism who received 40 hours per week of behavior modification "achieved normal intellectual and education functioning, with normal-range IQ scores and successful first grade performance in public schools."

The 1993 follow-up study that found "behavioral treatment may produce long-lasting and significant gains any young children with autism."

2005 study by Howard, et al. that found intensive behavioral intervention to be "considerably more efficacious than 'eclectic' intervention."

Sallows & Graupner (2005) "found that 48% of all children showed rapid learning, achieved average post-treatment scores, and at age 7, were succeeding in regular education classrooms. Treatment outcome was best predicted by pretreatment imitation, language, and social responsiveness."