Hostname: page-component-5b777bbd6c-mqssf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-06-21T23:18:39.570Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Murdoch Early Intervention Program After 2 Years

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 October 2014

Jay S. Birnbrauer  and
David J. Leach
Jay S. Birnbrauer*
Affiliation:
Murdoch University
David J. Leach*
Affiliation:
Murdoch University
*
Department of Psychology, Murdoch University, Perth WA 6150, Australia
Department of Psychology, Murdoch University, Perth WA 6150, Australia
Get access

Abstract

The goal of the Murdoch Early Intervention Program (MEIP) was to replicate the intensive early intervention program designed by Lovaas for children with severe developmental disability and autism. This paper describes the objectives, methods, and the results as of 24 months. Although MEIP differs from Lovaas's model in several respects, and the children have been generally less capable at the outset, results are interpreted tentatively as being as predicted. Four of 9 experimental children have shown signs of approaching normal levels of functioning whereas 1 of 5 control children has made significant progress. Improvements in the remainder of the children are rated as moderate to minimal. These preliminary results are presented to encourage others working with children with autism and other difficult-to-teach children to publish their methods and results. The small number of children in any one locality, and the high cost of controlled studies indicates the necessity for accumulating findings across service providers.

Type
Research Article
Information
Behaviour Change , Volume 10 , Issue 2 , June 1993 , pp. 63 - 74
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 1993

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

REFERENCES

Abidin, R.R. (1986). Parenting stress index. Los Angeles: Pediatric Psychology Press.Google Scholar
Anderson, S.R., Avery, D.L., DiPietro, E.K., Edwards, G.L., & Christian, W.P. (1987). Intensive home-based early intervention with autistic children. Education and Treatment of Children, 10, 352–366.Google Scholar
Baer, D.M. (1993). Quasi-random assignment can be as convincing as random assignment. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 97, 373–375.Google Scholar
Bzoch, K.R., & League, R. (1971). Assessing language skills in infancy. Austin, TX: Pro-ed.Google Scholar
Clunies-Ross, G.G. (1988). Early education and integration for children with intellectual disabilities. In Pieterse, M., Bochner, S., & Bettison, S. (Eds.), Early intervention for children with disabilities: The Australian experience (pp. 97–104). Sydney: Macquarie University Press.Google Scholar
Epstein, L., Taubman, M., & Lovaas, O.I. (1985). Changes in self-stimulatory behaviors with treatment. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 13, 281–294.Google Scholar
Foxx, R.M. (1993). Sapid effects awaiting independent replication. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 97, 375–376.Google Scholar
Harris, S.L., Handleman, J.S., Gordon, R., Kristoff, B., & Fuentes, F. (1991). Changes in cognitive and language functioning of preschool children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 21, 281–290.Google Scholar
Kazdin, A.E. (1993). Replication and extension of behavioral treatment of autistic disorder. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 97, 377–379.Google Scholar
Leach, D.J., Birnbrauer, J.S., Chapman, E.S., Pailthorpe, W., & Strong, L. (1991, 09). The use of volunteers in an intensive behavioural program for young autistic children: Issues of treatment integrity. Proceedings of the 15th National Conference of the Australian Association of Special Education. Brisbane.Google Scholar
Lovaas, O.I. (1987). Behavioral treatment and normal educational and intellectual functioning in young autistic children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55, 3–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lovaas, O.I., Ackerman, A.S., Alexander, D., Firestone, P., Perkins, M., & Young, D. (1981). Teaching develop-mentally disabled children: The me book. Austin, TX: Pro-ed.Google Scholar
Lovaas, O.I., Smith, T., & McEachin, J.J. (1989). Clarifying comments on the young autism study: Reply to Schopler, Short and Mesibov. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 57, 165–166.Google Scholar
McEachin, J.J., Smith, T., & Lovaas, O.I. (1993). Long-term outcome for children with autism who received early intensive behavioral treatment. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 97, 359–372.Google Scholar
Mesibov, G.B. (1993). Treatment outcome is encouraging. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 97, 379–380.Google Scholar
Mundy, P. (1993). Normal versus high-functioning status in children with autism. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 97 381–384.Google Scholar
Schopler, E., Short, A., & Mesibov, G. (1989). Relation of behavioral treatment to “normal functioning”: Comment on Lovaas. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 57, 162–164.Google Scholar
Smith, T., McEachin, J.J., & Lovaas, O.I. (1993). Comments on replication and evaluation of outcome. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 97, 385–391.Google Scholar
Wirt, R.D., Lachar, D., Klinedinst, J., & Seat, P. (1984). Multidimensional description of child personality: A manual for the personality inventory for children (rev. ed.). Los Angeles: Western Psychological Services.Google Scholar