Developmental changes of students with autism spectrum disorder

Abstract

The present study aimed to compare the changes in autistic symptoms and adaptive skills between students with ASD only and those with co-morbid ASD and SLI (ASD-SLI), taking into account their developmental stages and ability level. Analyses were conducted with 418 ASD students and 959 ASD-SLI students who received social skills group intervention over a span of two years. They were assessed on measures of parent-rated ASD symptom severity and teacher-rated adaptive skills before intervention (Time 1) and after intervention (Time 2). Results suggested all students generally improved in autistic symptoms and adaptive skills across time. However, ASD-SLI students showed less improvement in autistic symptoms and adaptive skills than ASD students, which aroused concerns over the impact of ASD co-morbidity on response to intervention. Implications on intervention planning and future research were discussed.