[1] Initial attempts to treat autism were mostly unsuccessful and in the 1960s researchers began to focus on behavioral intervention therapies.
[1] Lynn and Robert Koegel incorporated ideas from the natural language procedures to develop verbal communication in children with autism.
Pivotal response treatment is a naturalistic intervention model derived from the principles of applied behavior analysis.
Pivotal response treatment is used to teach language, decrease disruptive/self-stimulatory behaviors, and increase social, communication, and academic skills.
A 2020 meta analysis which included 5 RCTs concluded there was a statistically significant positive effect of PRT on expressive language skills, social interaction, and reducing repetitive behaviour.