Early Start Denver Model effectiveness in young autistic children: a large multicentric randomised controlled trial in two European countries.

backgroundEvidence regarding early interventions based on the Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions framework, such as the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM), suggests efficacy for autistic children. However, the effectiveness of ESDM across diverse cultural contexts remains under-researched.

objectiveTo assess the effectiveness of ESDM compared with treatment as usual (TAU) on overall development in young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

methodThis parallel, randomised controlled trial, using a modified Zelen design, was conducted in five Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in France and Belgium. A total of 180 children aged 19-36 months, who met autism criteria and were referred by community professionals, were randomly assigned to either receive 12-hour weekly ESDM+TAU or TAU alone. The primary outcome was the change in developmental quotient (DQ) on the Mullen Scale of Early Learning, assessed blindly from baseline to 24 months post randomisation.

findingsFrom September 2015 to March 2019, 180 children were randomly assigned to either ESDM+TAU (n=61, girls=21.7%) or TAU alone (n=119, girls=15.4%). Three children dropped out immediately after randomisation. Compared with TAU alone, children in the ESDM+TAU group did not significantly improve global DQ (endpoint mean difference 3.82 (95% CI -1.25 to 8.89), p=0.14). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Our findings suggest that ESDM+TAU cannot be universally recommended for young children with ASD. Further research is required to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of ESDM and identify subgroups that may benefit more, thereby guiding optimal implementation strategies. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02608333.