A pilot study on combining risperidone and pivotal response treatment on communication difficulties in children with autism spectrum disorder

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of combined risperidone (RIS) and pivotal response treatment (PRT) in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Design/methodology/approach In all, 34 children diagnosed with ASD (mean age of 12.36 years) were randomly divided into two groups: an RIS treatment group ( n =18) and an RIS plus PRT ( n =16). Communication skills were evaluated with the child communication checklist (CCC). Findings Total score of the CCC was increased in both groups after three months compared with the score prior to treatment. The total score of the CCC was significantly higher in the combined treatment group than in the RIS group. Originality/value Treatment with RIS combined with PRT may result in a better outcome in communication skill for children with autism than RIS training alone.