Study on treatment programs for preschoolers with autism receives national recognition

The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) has recognized a study, co-authored by FIU psychology professor Anibal Gutierrez, as one of the top twenty most significant studies in autism research for 2013. It was published in the 2013 IACC Summary of Advances.

The IACC issues this document each year to help the community understand key advances and opportunities for research that can improve the lives of people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their families.

“The IACC selected these 20 studies as the most informative and transformative advances of the last year,” said IACC Chair Thomas Insel. “They offer the possibility of directly improving the lives of those with ASD, and significantly furthering our understanding of autism.”

Originally published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, the study is the first to test and compare the efficacy of specific special education programs for preschoolers with ASD.

Results show that preschoolers on the spectrum make significant improvements during the school year regardless of which special education model teachers use.

The study is a collaboration of researchers from University of Miami, University of Minnesota, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and University of Colorado.

“It is a great honor to participate in this study with our colleagues and it means a great deal to be recognized by the IACC,” Gutierrez said.

The IACC is a Federal advisory committee that coordinates all efforts within the Department of Health and Human Services concerning autism spectrum disorder. The 2013 IACC Summary of Advances in Autism Spectrum Disorder Research and other IACC publications are available at iacc.hhs.gov.