In the recent literature, there is a broad consensus on the effectiveness of Applied Behavior Analysis interventions for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Despite their proven efficacy, research in clinical settings shows that these treatments are not equally effective for all children and the issue of which intervention should be chosen for an individual remains a common dilemma. The current work systematically reviewed studies on predictors and moderators of response to different types of evidence-based treatment for children with ASD. Specifically, our goal was to critically review the relationships between pre-treatment child characteristics and specific treatment outcomes, covering different aspects of functioning (i.e., social, communicative, adaptive, cognitive, motor, global functioning, play, and symptom severity). Our results questioned the binomial "better functioning-better outcome", emphasizing the complex interplay between pre-treatment child characteristics and treatment outcomes. However, some pre-treatment variables seem to act as prerequisites for a specific treatment, and the issue of "what works for whom and why" remains challenging. Future research should focus on the definition of evidence-based decision-making models that capture those individual factors through which a specific intervention will exert its effects.

Associazione Italiana Per L'Assistenza Spastici Onlus Sez Di Cicciano 80033 Cicciano Italy

Department of Humanistic Studies University of Naples Federico 2 80138 Napoli Italy

Disability Research Centre Department of Sociology and Social Research University of International Studies of Rome 00147 Rome Italy

Faculty of Medicine University of Ostrava 70103 Ostrava Czech Republic

Neapolisanit S R L Rehabilitation Center 80044 Ottaviano Italy

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