Findings and Conclusions

National Standards Project, Phase 2

The National Autism Center began work on the second phase of the National Standards Project (NSP2) in 2011 in order to provide up-to-date information on the effectiveness of a broad range of interventions for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There has been a great deal of new research published since 2007, the end of the period evaluated by Phase 1 of the National Standards Project (or NSP1).

Phase 2 (NSP2) reviewed studies published between 2007 and February of 2012. As in the first iteration of the NSP, the focus was an evaluation of educational and behavioral intervention literature for individuals with ASD. The review updated our summary of ASD treatment literature for children and youth under age 22. We have updated our original findings, added information, and evaluated whether any of the “Emerging” interventions in NSP1 had moved into the “Established” or “Unestablished” categories in NSP2.