Coordinated by the highly respected Organization for Autism Research, this accessible text from 20+ top experts lays out current research and best-practice recommendations for promoting social skills and adaptive behavior in students with autism.

This handbook identifies the various social deficiencies widely associated with children and youth diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It discusses possible causes as well as the lifelong effects if these deficiencies are not addressed. The handbook presents current behavioral and curriculum-based methods for assessing social deficits. Chapters examine the various interventions that have been used to improve social skills and behavior, including video modeling, peer-mediated interventions, and script fading. Chapters also assess various interventions using empirically based procedures, evaluate the research of each of these procedures, provide guidelines for treatment planning, and offer clinical recommendations. The handbook concludes with future directions for the development of both social behavior and clinical social skills interventions. Topics featured in the Handbook include: Impairments in social behavior that may result in negative outcomes such as depression, loneliness, and suicide in individuals with ASD. Bullying among youth with ASD. Behavioral skills training to promote social behavior of individuals with ASD. The Early Start Denver Model approach to helping young children with ASD. The implementation of social skills groups for individuals diagnosed with ASD. The Handbook of Social Skills and Autism Spectrum Disorder is a must-have resource for researchers, clinicians/professionals, and graduate students in clinical child, school, and developmental psychology, behavioral therapy, and social work, as well as such interrelated disciplines as child and adolescent psychiatry, rehabilitation medicine/therapy, pediatrics, and special education/educational psychology.

Millions of children have been diagnosed with autism or fall somewhere within the autism spectrum. Early intervention, education, and training programs have been found to support these students immensely, leading to a higher level of independent social life than has previously been seen. Anxiety, bullying, communication, and learning abstract concepts can be a great challenge for autistic children and can also provide an obstacle for social interaction with other children. It is important to continue offering these students access to a broad, enriched, and balanced curriculum while also devising new approaches and alternative systems of communication that will help to facilitate their access to the educational process and foster adaptive behaviors. Interventions for Improving Adaptive Behaviors in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders offers a current overview of modern practices regarding the teaching of autistic children. This book seeks to update the current practices for professionals working with autistic children, offer practical information regarding interventions, and provide tools for managing autistic children in critical situations. Covering topics such as autism diagnostic observation schedule, inclusivity in schools, and vocational training for autistic people, this text is essential for teachers, special education teachers, administrators, speech therapists, academicians, researchers, students, and professionals and practitioners involved in the upbringing, education, social, and vocational inclusion of people with ASD.

The research on children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is extensive and growing. Although these conditions are recognized as affecting the entire lifespan, the literature on ASD after childhood is limited and has not been brought together in a single volume in over a decade. Adolescents and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders fills this knowledge gap by focusing on needs and difficulties unique to these stages of development. Expert contributors offer cogent reviews of complex issues, from education to employment, leisure activities to illegal behaviors, mental health issues to medical health concerns. The latest findings in key areas, such as psychosocial and residential treatments, social skills programs, epidemiology, the impact of ASD on families, are examined in detail. Throughout the volume, coverage focuses on areas requiring improved models of assessment, updated data, new interventions and increased support services. Featured topics include: Transition from high school to adulthood for adolescents and young adults with ASD. Innovative programming to support college students with ASD. Romantic relationships, sexuality and ASD. Treatment of mental health comorbidities. Assessment and treatment planning in adults with ASD. The range of outcomes and challenges in middle and later life. Adolescents and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders is a must-have reference for a wide range of clinicians and practitioners – as well as researchers and graduate students – in clinical child, school and developmental psychology; child and adolescent psychiatry; social work; rehabilitation medicine/therapy; education and general practice/family medicine. It will also serve as an important resource for parents and caregivers with its focus on translating the current state of knowledge relevant to understanding adolescents and adults with ASD into practical and relevant recommendations on how best to support them.

The number of children diagnosed with autism has increased dramatically in the last decade, and a growing number of behavior analysts, psychologists, educators, and speech pathologists-to name a few-are just starting to regularly treat individuals with autism. Children and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) require specialized instruction and behavior support to teach them critical skills and establish a meaningful quality of life. However, these objectives can only be achieved if professional and paraprofessional service providers have access to the most effective evidence-based and empirically supported methods for teaching children with autism. Similarly, practitioners must know about effective intervention methods that can be implemented to reduce and eliminate problem behaviors frequently displayed by people who have ASD. This guide is an indispensible asset, appropriate for any behavioral specialist, on all aspects of this increasingly prevalent disorder. Teaching and Behavior Support for Children and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder brings together contributed chapters on assessment, instruction, and behavioral intervention procedures unique to the autism population. Each chapter covers a single topic according to a uniform format, which will ease comprehension and facilitate procedural adaptation in "real world" settings such as school, home, and the community. Usable advice and methods for teaching difficult skills, such as self-care, verbal language, and communication, are provided. Authored by recognized experts, the concise and readable chapters also feature forms, illustrations, summary tables, and resource lists to further guide practitioners in selecting "best practice" methods. Taking into account specific settings, different age groups, and practitioner experience, this book will serve as a resource for educators, psychologists, and behavior specialists in the field of autism education and treatment, and as an educational tool for those enrolled in university classes training to become practitioners.

That children are capable of pathology—not only such conditions as ADHD and learning disabilities, but also such "adult" disorders as anxiety and depression—stands as a defining moment in psychology’s recent history. Within this recognition is the understanding that the social skills deficits that accompany these disorders must be targeted for assessment and treatment to ensure optimal functioning in school, with peers, and in later transitions to puberty and adulthood. Social Behavior and Skills in Children cuts across disciplinary lines to clarify the scope of assessment options and interventions for a wide range of disorders. A panel of leading scholars reviews current research, discusses social deficits unique to specific disorders, and identifies evidence-based best practices in one authoritative, approachable reference. This volume: Discusses theoretical models of social skills as they relate to assessment and treatment. Analyzes the etiology of social behavior problems in children and the relation between these problems and psychopathology. Reviews 48 norm-referenced measures of social skills in children. Examines the range of evidence-based social skills interventions. Addresses challenging behaviors, such as aggression and self-injury. Focuses on specific conditions, including developmental disabilities, conduct disorders, ADHD, chronic medical illness, depression, anxiety, and severe psychopathology. Social Behavior and Skills in Children is an essential reference for university libraries as well as a must-have volume for researchers, graduate students, and clinicians in child, and school psychology, special education, and other related fields.

Autism is a word most of us are familiar with. But do we really know what it means? Children with autism are challenged by the most essential human behaviors. They have difficulty interacting with other people-often failing to see people as people rather than simply objects in their environment. They cannot easily communicate ideas and feelings, have great trouble imagining what others think or feel, and in some cases spend their lives speechless. They frequently find it hard to make friends or even bond with family members. Their behavior can seem bizarre. Education is the primary form of treatment for this mysterious condition. This means that we place important responsibilities on schools, teachers and children's parents, as well as the other professionals who work with children with autism. With the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1975, we accepted responsibility for educating children who face special challenges like autism. While we have since amassed a substantial body of research, researchers have not adequately communicated with one another, and their findings have not been integrated into a proven curriculum. Educating Children with Autism outlines an interdisciplinary approach to education for children with autism. The committee explores what makes education effective for the child with autism and identifies specific characteristics of programs that work. Recommendations are offered for choosing educational content and strategies, introducing interaction with other children, and other key areas. This book examines some fundamental issues, including: How children's specific diagnoses should affect educational assessment and planning How we can support the families of children with autism Features of effective instructional and comprehensive programs and strategies How we can better prepare teachers, school staffs, professionals, and parents to educate children with autism What policies at the federal, state, and local levels will best ensure appropriate education, examining strategies and resources needed to address the rights of children with autism to appropriate education. Children with autism present educators with one of their most difficult challenges. Through a comprehensive examination of the scientific knowledge underlying educational practices, programs, and strategies, Educating Children with Autism presents valuable information for parents, administrators, advocates, researchers, and policy makers.