Umbrella Review of Meta-Analyses of Comprehensive Applied Behavior Analytic Interventions for Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

J Autism Dev Disord. 2026 Oct 1. doi: 10.1007/s10803-026-07551-6. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this review was to conduct an umbrella review of systematic reviews with meta-analytic syntheses of comprehensive applied behavior analytic interventions for young autistic children.

METHOD: We searched six electronic databases and conducted supplemental searches through December 2025. We examined two primary outcomes (IQ, adaptive behavior) and four secondary outcomes (communication, social, daily living skills, and symptomatology), conducted assessments for risks of bias, and examined primary study overlap using the corrected covered area (CCA).

RESULTS: We included six systematic reviews with meta-analytic syntheses including 36 unique studies (CCA = 20.56%) with 2,241 child participants with ASD in this umbrella review. For IQ, three meta-analyses reported standardized mean difference effect sizes (SMD) greater than 0.50 and three meta-analyses reported mean difference effect sizes (MD) greater than 11.98 (on a scale with a SD = 15). For adaptive behavior, three reviews reported SMD greater than 0.35 and three reviews reported MD equal to 5.92 or greater. Effects on secondary outcomes were reported less frequently across reviews with greater variability in findings.

CONCLUSION: The findings of this umbrella review demonstrated consistent, replicated evidence that comprehensive early interventions based on the technologies of applied behavior analysis. Autistic children receiving the intervention had superior outcomes to autistic children in the comparison conditions for IQ and adaptive behavior for a majority of the participants who received the intervention.

PROTOCOL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CDR#42,024,568,638.

PMID:42821188 | DOI:10.1007/s10803-026-07551-6