Trial of Center-Based vs. In-Home Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) in Autism

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) based on Autism Diagnostic InterviewRevised (ADI-R), Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2) orChildhood Autism Rating Scale, Second Edition (CARS-2), Diagnostic and StatisticalManual 5th Edition (DSM-5), and expert clinical opinion;

• Boys and girls between 2.0 and 5.11 years;

• Ability to participate in the testing procedures to the extent that valid standardscores can be obtained;

• Language delay as measured by the Preschool Language Scale, 5th Edition (PLS-5):Standard score at least 1 standard deviation below average for expressive languageability for 2 and 3 year olds; 2 standard deviations for 4 year olds, and 3 standarddeviations for 5 year olds;

• Stable treatment (e.g., Applied Behavior Analysis - ABA), speech therapy, schoolplacement, psychotropic medication(s) or biomedical intervention(s) for at least 1month prior to baseline measurements;

• No anticipated changes on treatment during study participation for Center-BasedPivotal Response Treatment (PRT-C) and In-Home Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT-H);

• No more than 60 minutes of individual 1:1 speech therapy per week;

• Availability of at least one parent or primary caregiver who can consistentlyparticipate in parent training and research measures.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Current or lifetime diagnosis of severe psychiatric disorder (e.g., bipolardisorder, etc.);

• Receiving ABA of 15 hours or more;

• Presence of active medical problem (e.g., unstable seizure disorder or heartdisease);

• Previous adequate Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) trial;

• Participants living more than 30 miles from Stanford University;

• Child's primary language other than English.