COMPARING THE EFFICACY OF EARLY INTERVENTION AND LATE INTERVENTION FOR AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS

Abstract

Objective: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by challenges in social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviors. Early intervention is widely recognized as crucial for improving outcomes in individuals with ASD. However, there is ongoing debate regarding the optimal timing of intervention. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compare the efficacy of early intervention and late intervention for individuals with ASD. The study aimed to synthesize existing evidence and provide a comprehensive analysis of the effectiveness of these two intervention approaches in improving outcomes for children and adults with ASD.
 Methods: A comprehensive search of electronic databases was conducted to identify relevant studies. The search terms included keywords related to ASD, early intervention, late intervention, children, adults, and outcome measures. Studies were selected based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, focusing on randomized controlled trials and comparative studies with adequate sample sizes. The selected studies underwent rigorous quality assessment and data extraction. Meta-analysis was conducted using statistical software to determine the overall efficacy of early intervention and late intervention in improving outcomes related to social interaction, communication, adaptive functioning, and other relevant domains.
 Results: The distribution of cases according to expressive language and motor skills was analyzed in two groups: Group A (early intervention) and Group B (late intervention). The results showed no statistically significant differences in the distribution of cases according to expressive language and motor skills between the two groups. The findings suggested that the timing of intervention may not strongly influence the distribution of these skills in individuals with ASD.
 Conclusion: This study found no significant differences in the distribution of cases according to expressive language and motor skills between early and late intervention groups. These findings are consistent with previous research, indicating that the distribution of these skills may not be strongly influenced by the timing of intervention. However, further research with larger samples and standardized assessment methods is needed to gain a comprehensive understanding of the relationships between intervention timing and the distribution of these skills in individuals with ASD.