Abstract Background Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience challenges in social communication and other developmental areas. Early and effective interventions are crucial to improve these skills. Method This meta-analysis examined the effectiveness of social-communication interventions for children with ASD, focusing on single-case experimental designs (SCEDs). Forty-one peer-reviewed studies were included, encompassing interventions such as behavioral skills training, video modeling, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), and social skills training. Omnibus effect sizes, confidence intervals (95% CI), heterogeneity indices (I², Q-test), and publication bias metrics were computed. Moderator analyses explored the influence of setting, implementer type, and communicative function. Conclusions Social-communication interventions are effective in improving outcomes for children with ASD, particularly when delivered in naturalistic settings and by trained clinicians. Limitations include potential publication bias and underrepresentation of long-term outcomes. Future research should emphasize longitudinal designs, diverse populations, and combined intervention modalities.
Zahid Hussain (Tue,) studied this question.