A randomised controlled trial of an iP ad‐based application to complement early behavioural intervention in Autism Spectrum Disorder
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND: Technology-based interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have proliferated, but few have been evaluated within the context of a randomised controlled trial (RCT). This RCT evaluated the efficacy of one technology-based early intervention programme (Therapy Outcomes By You; TOBY) in young children with ASD. METHODS: TOBY is an app-based learning curriculum designed for children and parents as a complement to early behavioural intervention. Eighty children (16 female) were recruited to this RCT within 12 months of receiving a diagnosis of ASD (M age = 3.38; SD = 0.69) and randomised to receive either treatment-as-usual (community-based intervention, n = 39) or the TOBY therapy (at least 20 min/day) plus treatment-as-usual (n = 41) for a period of 6 months. Outcomes were assessed at 3 and 6 months postbaseline. (Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12614000738628; www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=365463). RESULTS: Children in the TOBY intervention group averaged 19 min/day engaging with the app in the first 3 months, but only 2 min/day during the second 3 months. There was no group difference in scores on the primary outcome, the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist, at either the 3- or 6-month follow-up. However, significant improvements at the 6-month follow-up were observed in the TOBY intervention group relative to the treatment-as-usual group on three secondary outcomes: the Fine Motor and Visual Reception subscales of the Mullen Scale of Early Learning and the Total Words Understood scale of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Index. Statistical trends towards improvement in the TOBY intervention group were observed on measures of adaptive function, although these decreased in magnitude from the 3- to 6-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that technology-based interventions may provide a relatively low-cost addition to existing therapist-delivered interventions for children with ASD. However, sustained use of the app over the full 6-month period was a challenge for most families.
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Several studies indicate beneficial effects of mental health applications for autism spectrum disorder, with the majority targeting a range of outcomes such as social and communication skills in children.
“Several studies indicate beneficial effects of MHAs for ASD, with the majority targeting a range of outcomes such as social and communication skills in children (48, 50, 51).”
Empirical evidence for mental health applications in the context of autism spectrum disorder and/or intellectual and developmental disabilities is highly heterogeneous.
“However, empirical evidence for MHAs in the context of ASD and/or IDD is highly heterogeneous (48).”
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Project AIM: Autism intervention meta-analysis for studies of young children.
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- Authors
- Whitehouse, A. J. O., Granich, J., Alvares, G., Busacca, M., Cooper, M. N., Dass, A., Duong, T., Harper, R., Marshall, W., Richdale, A., Rodwell, T., Trembath, D., Vellanki, P., Moore, D. W., & Anderson, A.
- Affiliations
- The Kids Research Institute Australia (AU)
- Monash University (AU)
- Deakin University (AU)
- Autism West Perth WA Australia
- La Trobe University (AU)
- Griffith University (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Whitehouse, Andrew J.O.
- ORCID
- Venue
- Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2017-05-25
- Volume
- 58
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- 1042-1052
- ISSN
- 0021-9630 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-7610
- OpenAlex
- W2617815369
- Cited by
- 88
- References
- 28
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 4.87
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- figshare.com
- Locations
- Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UWA Profiles and Research Repository (UWA) (submittedVersion)
- Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Griffith Research Online (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Health and Medical Research Council (APP1077966)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Behavioral and Psychological Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Child Nutrition and Feeding Issues
- Keywords
- autism spectrum disorder, technology-based interventions, parent-mediated intervention, young children, app engagement, fine motor skills, visual reception, receptive language, adaptive function
- MeSH terms
- Autism Spectrum Disorder, Behavior Therapy, Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, Male, Therapy, Computer-Assisted, Outcome Assessment, Health Care, Computers, Handheld, Early Medical Intervention
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