Goods, K. S., Ishijima, E., Chang, Y. C., & Kasari, C. (2013). Preschool based JASPER intervention in minimally verbal children with autism: Pilot RCT. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 43(5), 1050-1056.
Reviewed by Kathleen Moran
Caldwell University
Why research this topic?
One major area of focus in intervention for children with autism is to increase the use of expressive language, which is often limited and restricted.Although language is continuously taught in most interventions, there is still a need to identify and develop effective language treatments. One method for teaching language is known as JASPER (Joint Attention Symbolic Play Engagement and Regulation). It is based on a developmental social-pragmatic approach, in which interventionists aim to increase children’s expressive language by systematically responding to and expanding on communication initiated by the child during play activities. It focuses on areas of joint engagement, joint attention and play. This is one of the first studies to evaluate whether JASPER is effective in improving social communication and play in a school-based setting with minimally verbal children with autism.
What did the researchers do?
Fifteen children with autism participated and were separated into two groups. One group received the JASPER treatment and the other did not. Pretreatment assessments were conducted on play and initiating and responding to bids for joint attention for both groups. Children were also observed in a classroom setting. Next, the treatment group received twelve hours of JASPER intervention over a twelve week period. Preferred toys were identified to create play routines that would promote the interaction between teacher and child. Opportunities were embedded within the play routines to target communication skills. Children in both groups attended an applied behavior analytic school for thirty hours per week, with children in the JASPER group leaving their classrooms when they took part in JASPER sessions. Pretreatment assessments were repeated at the end of treatment.
What did the researchers find?
Prior to starting treatment, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups on any measure. After treatment was implemented, children in the treatment group increased their types of play, amount of spontaneous play, time engaged in interaction, and initiation of communicative gestures. These effects also generalized from the teaching setting to the classroom, where participants in the treatment group initiated more communicative gestures and spent more time engaged. The children, however, showed little change in initiating and responding to bids for joint attention. This study provides support that a brief intervention that targets joint attention and play skills can improve areas of expressive language skills of children with autism.
What are the strengths and limitations of the study? What do the results mean?
The results of this study suggest that the JASPER intervention resulted in significant increases in expressive language, play skills, and engagement and these skills generalized to different settings and staff. In contrast, children who did not receive treatment, no improvement on any measure was observed. Although this is the second study to evaluate JASPER, these studies only provide preliminary support for the intervention. In addition, long-term effects of this treatment were not evaluated. To further assess its effectiveness, future studies should replicate the findings with more children, include follow-up evaluations, and compare the treatment to other intervention programs.
Citation for this article:
Moran, K. (2014). Research Synopsis: Goods, et al. (2013) Preschool based JASPER Intervention in minimally verbal children with autism: Pilot RCT. Science in Autism Treatment, 11(3), 17-18.
