{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,30]],"date-time":"2026-09-30T14:09:13Z","timestamp":1790777353935,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2014,3,21]],"date-time":"2014-03-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1395360000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/termsAndConditions#vor"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Intl J Lang &amp;amp; Comm Disor"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2014,7]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title><jats:sec><jats:title>Background<\/jats:title><jats:p>The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is a popular augmentative communication system frequently used with \u2018nonverbal\u2019 children with autism. Several studies suggested that PECS could represent an effective tool for promoting improvement of several social\u2013communicative skills. Only sparse evidence is instead available on the long\u2010term effectiveness of this treatment system.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Aims<\/jats:title><jats:p>To test the long\u2010term effects of PECS, for which a follow\u2010up study was conducted by assessing social\u2013communicative skills in nonverbal preschool children with autism after 12 months from treatment completion.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods &amp; Procedures<\/jats:title><jats:p>Two groups of children (<jats:italic>N<\/jats:italic> = 14) were assessed; one group had completed the PECS training and the other conventional language therapy (CLT). At follow\u2010up all children received the same pre\u2010 and post\u2010treatment assessment. Outcome measures were the following: Communication and Social domains of Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS); Language and Personal\u2013Social subscales of the Griffiths\u2019 Mental Developmental Scales (GMDS); Communication and Social Abilities domains of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS); and several social\u2013communicative variables coded in an unstructured setting.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Outcomes &amp; Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>The PECS group showed significant improvements compared with the CLT group on ADOS severity scores (Communication, Social and Total), on GMDS Social domain and on VABS Communication and Social domains. PECS\u2010related gains on the VABS Social domain and on specific social\u2013communicative measures coded during free\u2010play, i.e. frequency of joint attention and initiation, and duration of cooperative play, were stable after 1\u2010year follow\u2010up. Cooperative play continued to improve on follow\u2010up with respect to both post\u2010 and pre\u2010treatment assessment.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusions &amp; Implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>These findings demonstrated that PECS training can promote long\u2010term enhancement of specific socio\u2010communicative skills in children with autism.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1111\/1460-6984.12079","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2014,3,21]],"date-time":"2014-03-21T13:41:12Z","timestamp":1395409272000},"page":"478-485","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":44,"title":["Long\u2010term effects of PECS on social\u2013communicative skills of children with autism spectrum disorders: a follow\u2010up study"],"prefix":"10.1111","volume":"49","author":[{"given":"Anna","family":"Lerna","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Child Psychopathology Unit Scientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio Medea  Ostuni Brindisi Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dalila","family":"Esposito","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Child Psychopathology Unit Scientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio Medea  Ostuni Brindisi Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Massimiliano","family":"Conson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neuropsychology Laboratory Department of Psychology Second University of Naples  Caserta Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Angelo","family":"Massagli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Child Psychopathology Unit Scientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio Medea  Ostuni Brindisi Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2014,3,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_7_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1176\/appi.books.9780890423349"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3109\/07434618.2013.818059"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_4_1","volume-title":"PECS: The Picture Exchange Communication System Training Manual","author":"Bondy A. 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