The effects of the DHACA method on expressive communication in children with autism spectrum disorder

ABSTRACT Purpose This study aimed to assess the contributions of the DHACA method to expressive communication development in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methods This longitudinal case series study had a sample of 12 children with ASD, nonverbal or minimally verbal communication, and support level one or two. Data were collected by applying the ACOTEA-R Protocol by analyzing videos recorded during intervention sessions before and after using the DHACA. Participants underwent 20 individual speech-language-hearing sessions with the DHACA. Results After the intervention with the ACOTEA-R, 10 of the 12 children improved their overall expressive communication skills. Concerning the communicative profile, initially, 10 children were nonverbal and 2 were minimally verbal. After the intervention, 7 evolved to a verbal pattern, whereas 5 remained nonverbal. The progress of the following communication skills stands out: use of sentences with four or more words, naming objects, social expressions, greeting people, and making comments. Moreover, 8 of the 12 participants advanced to the third skill in the DHACA, characterized by request with lexical and morphosyntactic expansion. Conclusion The children’s speech and use of the communication book indicated progress in their expressive communication development after intervention with the DHACA.