Support for Community-Based Research

We laud the lament in the recent issue of Autism, where Singh and Elsabbagh (2014) cite the problem of the lack of priority given to community-based intervention research about autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) by the broader research community. The entire issue that month provided a rich array of examples of such efforts and to that we want to add a few recent references to high-quality randomized controlled trials of community focused research demonstrating meaningful improvements in core aspects of ASDs in community-based intervention. The first, by Solomon et al. (2014), demonstrates that highly cost-effective parent coaching style developmental interventions can improve core symptoms to the point of shifts in Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) designation for a significant percentage of children and, moreover, that parents do well with the approach and embrace it. The second, by Casenhiser et al. (2014), builds on previous work showing social gains (Casenhiser et al., 2013) and addresses similar improvements but more focused on functional language usage. The challenge of doing this kind of research on interventions that demand adherence to an approach with simultaneous flexible implementation is giving way to a budding and transformative body of research that is both supported by and delivers on the ongoing flood of more basic or laboratory type work on the mechanisms and processes underlying these conditions. We are hopeful that your journal will continue to promote this kind of practical exploration as this is what will lead us toward a better set of evidence based practices for the sake of families and for more effective policy making.