It's great you're looking into the long-term outcomes of ABA and ESDM! Recent studies show that both therapies lead to significant short-term improvements for children with autism. However, ESDM often demonstrates stronger maintenance of those improvements over time, especially in social communication and adaptive behavior.

A 2025 study in *Frontiers in Pediatrics* found ESDM to be superior in social reciprocity, while ABA excelled in gross motor skills. Another study showed that children who received ESDM maintained gains in IQ and adaptive behavior at age 6, even with fewer therapy hours compared to those receiving community care, which is often ABA-based.

It's worth considering that ESDM may be particularly beneficial for children with social communication deficits. You can find more info on the study in *Frontiers in Pediatrics* here: https://www.frontiersin.org/jo....urnals/pediatrics/ar