The effects of the DHACA method on expressive communication in children with autism spectrum disorder.
Fernanda Cristina de Oliveira Luna Barbosa, Ana Cristina de Albuquerque Montenegro, Bianca Arruda Manchester de Queiroga
PMID 40197957WHAT IT FOUND
After 20 weekly speech therapy sessions using the DHACA picture book method, seven of twelve nonverbal children with autism began using verbal communication.
The other five remained nonverbal, though most showed some improvement in specific expressive skills.
Key findings
01Seven of the twelve children transitioned from a nonverbal or minimally verbal profile to a verbal communication profile after the intervention.
02Ten of the twelve participants showed an increase in their overall scores for expressive communication skills.
03The two participants who did not show significant overall improvement had parents who reported not using the communication book continuously at home.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study was a case series with no control group, so it is impossible to know if the improvements were due to the DHACA method, natural development, or other factors. The sample size was very small (12 children), limiting the generalizability of the findings. The participants were aged 3 to 6 years and excluded those with comorbidities, so the results may not apply to older children or those with additional disabilities. The two children who did not improve significantly had parents who reported low adherence to the home practice, which confounds the assessment of the method's effectiveness for all children.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret these results as proof that the DHACA method causes speech development. Without a control group, we cannot rule out that the children would have made similar progress with other therapies or natural development. The positive outcomes are also limited by the small sample size and the fact that half the children remained nonverbal.