THE EARLY START DENVER MODEL AS A PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PEDAGOGICAL TOOL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL AND COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

Abstract

The article substantiates the potential of the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) as a psychological and pedagogical tool for the development of social and communicative competence in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Based on an analysis of international and Ukrainian scholarly sources, as well as contemporary approaches to early intervention, the key components of ESDM that support the development of communicative functions, social engagement, joint attention, imitation, and emotional interaction are identified. The psychological and pedagogical mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of the model are outlined, and the possibilities for implementing ESDM in preschool educational settings are characterized.