Neural correlates of enhancing question asking and initiations in children with autism spectrum disorders: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

This study tested whether a specific therapy called Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) could help autistic boys (ages 6-12) learn to ask more questions. Twenty children received either PRT sessions or their usual treatment for 2 months. Brain activity was measured before and after treatment using EEG technology. Children who received PRT showed better question-asking skills and communication, and these improvements matched with changes seen in their brain activity patterns.

This randomized clinical trial examined the neural effects of Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) in 20 autistic boys aged 6-12 who had difficulties asking questions. Participants received either PRT intervention (60 minutes, 3 times weekly for 2 months) or treatment as usual. The study measured behavioral outcomes including question-asking, general communication skills, and mean length utterance, alongside neural activity using electroencephalography (EEG) during resting states. Results showed significant behavioral improvements in the PRT group that correlated with measurable changes in brain oscillations across multiple regions compared to the control group, supporting previous research indicating that PRT produces observable neural changes.

PRT shows promise for improving question-asking skills in verbal autistic children, with corresponding neural changes suggesting neuroplasticity. Clinicians may consider PRT for children with specific communication deficits. The neural correlates provide encouraging evidence for intervention-induced brain changes, though larger studies are needed to confirm findings.

Small sample size of only 20 participants limits generalizability. Study restricted to verbal autistic boys aged 6-12, excluding girls and non-verbal children. Short 2-month intervention period may not capture long-term effects. Limited details provided about specific neural changes or effect sizes.

Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) demonstrate challenges in various areas of social communication. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) targeting question-asking on brain activity in twenty 6-12-year-old autistic boys, using a Randomized Clinical Trial (RCT) design. Verbal children, diagnosed with autism, who lacked question asking in their communication were matched based on age and mean length utterance (MLU) and were randomly placed in either PRT intervention or treatment as usual (TAU) groups. Sessions were individually administered, lasting for 60 minutes 3 days a week for a two-month period.

All children were tested before and after intervention to assess behavioral areas (questions, general communicative skills, and MLU) and both groups underwent electroencephalography for 10 minutes in open and closed eye resting-state conditions to assess neural correlates. Data were analyzed using covariance analysis and post-hoc using Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon methods. Significant behavioral improvements in the PRT group were observed after intervention that correlated with changes in electroencephalography (EEG) oscillations at several brain regions compared to the TAU group. The results of this study support other studies suggesting collateral neural changes following the PRT.