There are limited research on effective interventions for infants at-risk for autism or diagnosed with autism. Such interventions may be especially effective in promoting the trajectory towards more normalized development. Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) is an empirically based intervention for children with autism, and Steiner, Gengoux, Klin and Chawarska have published an article on implementation of PRT for infants at risk for ASD. Read more…
Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) is an evidence-based intervention for children with autism involving the motivational strategies (1) child choice, (2) attracting child´s attention prior to providing clare opportunities to respond, (3) reinforcing reasonable attempts, (4) providing reinforcement immediately and contingently, and (5) using directly and logically related stimuli as reinforcers. Vernon, Koegel, Dauterman and Stolen have published a study were they thought parents to implement embedded social interaction in this procedure for three young children with autism. Read more…
Interventions based on applied behavior analyst (ABA) have a strong position in autism, but not all children are offered and receive such evidence-based and scientific interventions. In the recent issue of Behavior Analysis in Practice, Mary Beth Walsh lists the top 10 reasons children with autism deserve ABA; Read more…
Designing effective interventions to teach joint attention is an important task within autism interventions as joint attention skills are deficient in children with autism. All involved in autism interventions recognize the variability in skills for children with autism, and Paparelle, Goods, Freeman and Kasari have investigated the emergence of nonverbal joint attention and requesting skills in young children with autism. This study is published in Journal of Communication Disorders. Read more…
Researchers studying interventions for young children with autism agree upon the importance of targeting joint attention and play, as they are supposed to impact language and social development. Now Kasari and colleagues had published a longitudinal follow-up of children with autism who received targeted interventions on joint attention and play 5 years ago. Read more…
Cidav, Marcus and Mandell have investigated the impact of childhood autism for parental employment and earnings. Based on the numbers from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey they found that having a child with autism did not affect fathers employment and earnings. But they found that having a child with autism increased the likelihood that mothers did not work, and for this ho worked they as a group worked for less hours and earned less money.
Even if these numbers relates to families in the US, there may be similar patterns in other western countries.
As the number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are raising, the need for effective instruction in inclusive classrooms increase. The use of inclusive classrooms for children with ASD is supported by research that indicates that this environment provides more opportunities for teaching social and communication skills, and more opportunities for positive social interactions with peers. Inclusive settings also facilitates generalization and maintenance. But this research indicates that placement is not enough, effective and individualized intervention must be put in place.
Barton, Lawrence and Deurloo have now published Read more…
Restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRB) are core symptom of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and have received reviewed attention in the revision of DSM. RRB is shown to impact learning and socialization for children and adults with ASD, and research indicate that RRBs also affect family functioning and well-being – learning to increased stress levels for parents.
In a recently published article in Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Boyd, McDonough and Bodfish provides information on evidence-based behavioral interventions for RRB i Autism. Read more…
