| Methods |
Randomised controlled trial. Randomisation by random numbers table
Blinding: outcome assessors were blinded, investigator not blinded
Duration: 12 mths |
| Participants |
Diagnosis: autism or Asperger syndrome diagnosed by an independent agency
Age: 3‐17 years
n=80 |
| Interventions |
1. AIT: 2 30min sessions for 10 consecutive days
2. Control: as above, but music unmodified |
| Outcomes |
Standardised tests assessing behaviour, sensory measures and cognitive ability (see outcomes table) |
| Notes |
No loss to follow‐up |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Low risk |
Personal communication with study author (Bettison 2002): "a table of random numbers was used to allocate each child to either condition A or B." |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
High risk |
Inadequate following communication with study author (Bettison 2002) |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
No participant withdrawal |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Low risk |
Study protocol not available. Pre‐specified outcomes described in methods are reported in results |
| Other bias |
Unclear risk |
Financial support from the Commonwealth Department of Health, Housing and Community Services, an Apex Trust for Autism Grant and the Autistic Association of New South Wales |
| Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
Investigators not blinded. Personal communication with study author (Bettison 2002): blinding not possible as they needed to set and administer treatment. Parents and teachers unaware of which treatment each child was receiving |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
Outcomes assessors blinded |
