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Screening, Intervention and Outcome in Autism and Other Developmental Disorders: The Role of Randomized Controlled Trials

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Abstract

We draw attention to a number of important considerations in the arguments about screening and outcome of intervention in children with autism and other developmental disorders. Autism screening in itself never provides a final clinical diagnosis, but may well identify developmental deviations indicative of autism—or of other developmental disorders—that should lead to referral for further clinical assessment. Decisions regarding population or clinic screening cannot be allowed to be based on the fact that prospective longitudinal RCT designs over decades could never be performed in complex developmental disorders. We propose an alternative approach. Early screening for autism and other developmental disorders is likely to be of high societal importance and should be promoted and rigorously evaluated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Göteborg, Sweden

    Elisabeth Fernell, Philip Wilson, Nouchine Hadjikhani, Thomas Bourgeron, Brian Neville, David Taylor, Helen Minnis & Christopher Gillberg

  2. Centre for Rural Health, The Centre for Health Science, University of Aberdeen, Inverness, Scotland, UK

    Philip Wilson

  3. Human Genetics and Cognitive Functions Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France

    Thomas Bourgeron

  4. Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA

    Nouchine Hadjikhani

  5. Neurosciences Unit, UCL Institute of Child Health, 4/5 Long Yard, London, WC1N 3LU, UK

    Brian Neville

  6. Young Epilepsy, Lingfield, RH7 6PW, UK

    Brian Neville

  7. The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK

    David Taylor

  8. Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

    Helen Minnis & Christopher Gillberg

  9. UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK

    Christopher Gillberg

Authors
  1. Elisabeth Fernell
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  2. Philip Wilson
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  3. Nouchine Hadjikhani
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  4. Thomas Bourgeron
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  5. Brian Neville
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  6. David Taylor
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  7. Helen Minnis
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  8. Christopher Gillberg
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Elisabeth Fernell.

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Fernell, E., Wilson, P., Hadjikhani, N. et al. Screening, Intervention and Outcome in Autism and Other Developmental Disorders: The Role of Randomized Controlled Trials. J Autism Dev Disord 44, 2074–2076 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-014-2070-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-014-2070-5

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