Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39729835›Full record

SynthesisClinics (Sao Paulo, Brazil)2025

Behavioral therapies for the treatment of autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review.

Clara Lucato Dos Santos, Indyanara Inacio Barreto, Ana Carolina Furian da Silva, Juliana Firmino Batista Soriano, Jeferson de Lima Silva Castro, Luca Schiliró Tristão, Wanderley Marques Bernardo

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Clinics (Sao Paulo, Brazil), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Clara Lucato Dos SantosDepartment of Evidence-Based Medicine, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas de Santos (UNILUS), Santos, SP, Brazil.
Indyanara Inacio BarretoCenter for Evidence-Based Medicine, Unimed Campinas, SP, Brazil; Evidence-Based Medicine Committee at Federação das Unimeds do Estado de São Paulo (FESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Ana Carolina Furian da SilvaCenter for Evidence-Based Medicine, Unimed Campinas, SP, Brazil; Evidence-Based Medicine Committee at Federação das Unimeds do Estado de São Paulo (FESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Juliana Firmino Batista SorianoEvidence-Based Medicine Committee at Federação das Unimeds do Estado de São Paulo (FESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Jeferson de Lima Silva CastroEvidence-Based Medicine Committee at Federação das Unimeds do Estado de São Paulo (FESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Luca Schiliró TristãoDepartment of Evidence-Based Medicine, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas de Santos (UNILUS), Santos, SP, Brazil.
Wanderley Marques BernardoFaculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Coordinator of The Evidence-Based Medicine Department at Federação das Unimeds do Estado de São Paulo (FESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionAutism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopment spectrum characterized by persistent deficits in social communication and interpersonal interaction, along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, interest, or activities. The appropriate screening and diagnosis must be realized to improve the children's prognosis. Moreover, appropriate treatments are necessary to promote better social integration and development. In this scenario, this systematic review aims to evaluate the impacts of behavioral therapies applied in healthcare settings for patients with ASD.

methodsThis systematic review followed the PRISMA guidelines. The databases MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL (Cochrane), and Lilacs were accessed, and gray and manual searches were performed. The search strategy was created with terms referring to autism and behavioral therapy. The studies were assessed qualitatively.

resultsRandomized clinical trials and observational studies demonstrated improvements in cognitive and verbal components of patients who received behavioral therapies in therapeutic settings. These results indicate a positive impact of both cognitive-behavioral therapy and ESDM on the development of patients' skills. Among the cognitive-behavioral therapies, the one based on the MASSI protocol did not impact the reduction of anxious symptoms. As for cognitive-behavioral therapy, one study demonstrated that the Behavioral Intervention for Anxiety in Children with Autism (BIACA), when compared to the Coping Cat protocol, improves cognition and reduces anxiety symptoms. Despite these results, further randomized clinical trials comparing behavioral therapies with one another are needed.

conclusionIn the context of behavioral therapy within a healthcare setting, the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) showed improvements in the cognitive, verbal, and social aspects of the evaluated patients. Improvement in scores sometimes is achieved independently of the group and related to the time of interventions.

Indexed as

Autism Spectrum DisorderBehavior TherapyChildCognitive Behavioral TherapyHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicTreatment OutcomeAutism spectrum disorderBehavioral therapyHealthcare setting

Identifiers

PMID39729835
PMCPMC11732605

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.