Exploring the impact of early intervention programs on social skills development in children with autism spectrum disorder

Can early intervention reshape the social trajectory of children on the autism spectrum? This research examined the effects of a structured early intervention program on social skills development among children aged 2 to 6 years diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in France. A quasi-experimental design was employed, involving 122 participants recruited from three pediatric developmental clinics in the Lyon metropolitan area between March 2023 and February 2025. Participants were assigned to either an intervention group (n = 64) receiving a 12-month multi-component program or a control group (n = 58) receiving standard care. The intervention incorporated applied behavior analysis techniques, peer-mediated strategies, and naturalistic teaching methods delivered across clinical and home settings. Social skills were measured using the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2) and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS-3) at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Results indicated that children in the intervention group showed marked gains in joint attention (pre: 32.4, post: 51.8, p < 0.001), emotional recognition (pre: 22.8, post: 40.2, p < 0.001), and peer interaction (pre: 24.6, post: 42.1, p < 0.001) compared to the control group. The overall composite social skills score improved by 67.6% in the intervention group versus 13.3% in controls. Effect sizes ranged from medium to large (Cohen's d = 0.43 to 0.89), with the strongest effects observed in younger children (aged 2-3 years). These findings suggest that structured early intervention can produce meaningful and sustained improvements in social functioning for children with ASD. The age at which intervention begins appears to be an important factor, supporting the case for earlier identification and referral to specialized programs.