Establishing the Evidence Base of the Power Card Strategy for Children with ASD: A Meta-Analysis

The Power Card Strategy (PCS) is used to teach social skills, communication, and appropriate behaviors to individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities. The purpose of the current meta-analysis is to review studies on the PCS for children with ASD systematically and to establish the evidence base for the strategy. Nine studies were evaluated using the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) design standards for single-case experimental design research. Results indicate that seven studies involving 20 children with ASD met WWC design standards with reservations or without reservations. Tau-U weighted aggregate mean treatment effect estimates were 0.76 (95% CI, 0.63–0.96), supporting the effectiveness of the intervention despite variability across studies. The current study contributes to the existing literature by providing robust evidence supporting the classification of PCS as an evidence-based intervention for children with ASD and meeting the stringent criteria established by the WWC. The analyses also include methodological quality, risk of bias, and treatment effect estimates, addressing critical gaps in the current literature and supporting recommendations for future research.