Asperger's Syndrome Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Asperger's Syndrome, including details on symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, medication.

Parent-assisted friendship training for children with autism spectrum disorders: effects of psychotropic medication.

Frankel F, Myatt R, Feinberg D

UCLA School of Medicine, 300 UCLA Medical Plaza, Suite 1402, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-6967, USA, ffrankel@mednet.ucla.edu

Twenty-five 6 to 13-year-old children with autism spectrum disorders, who were high functioning, were given 12 weeks of parent-assisted children's friendship training. Thirteen were prescribed various psychotropic medications by physicians in the community prior to treatment (medicated) while 12 were not (unmedicated). Two parent-rated and three teacher-rated social measures served as outcome variables. Results revealed that unmedicated subjects had greater positive change on three of these five measures when compared to children in the medicated group. It was hypothesized that being prescribed psychotropic medication was a marker for refractory psychosocial treatment response by children with autism spectrum disorders.

Published 16 April 2007 in Child Psychiatry Hum Dev, 37(4): 337-46.
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