Review of the efectiveness articles about pivotal response treatment

Abstract

Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) is one of evidence based treatments identified in the US National Autism Center's National Standards Report published in 2009. PRT is a comprehensive instructional model based on developmental approach and applied behavior analysis principles to provide learning opportunities for supporting children in their natural environments. PRT is a student-centered and parent-training based procedure and advocates that if children achieve some pivotal behaviors, it provides positive effects on untargeted behaviors and also if these pivotal behaviors are achieved once, results will be common and generalizable. The purpose of this study is, by using descriptive analysis, to review the sixteen effectiveness studies of PRT published in 1995-2011. Results of review showed that PRT is an effective procedure on language skills, social skills and play skills of preschool and primary education children with autism spectrum disorder.