Treatment Planning for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Chapter 1. Introduction: Looking at Treatment Planning Through a Different Lens

Defining Best Practices

Media Overload

A New Way of Thinking about Autism Treatment

Core Deficits of Autism.

How the Book is Organized

Why There is Confusion about EBP in Treating ASD


Chapter 2. What is Evidence Based Practice?

What is So Important ?

Common Errors in Evaluating Treatments

How Then Can Treatments be Evaluated?

History of Evidence Based Practice in Psychology

Brief History of EBP as it Pertains to Autism

Evolution and Expansion of EBP

EBP as it Pertains to Autism

Clinical Judgment

Autism-Specific vs. Non-Specific Treatments

The Evolution of Treatment Models and Terminology

Client Voice in What to Treat and How to Treat

What is Important to Study? What is Important to Treat?

The Role Context in Treatment Selection:

Positive and Negative Policy Implications of uses of EBP in Autism Treatments

Conclusions and Recommendations


Chapter 3. The Individualized, Problem-Solving Treatment Process

Our Beliefs and Biases

The Role of Children's Emotions

The Challenge of Generalization

Strengthening Social Connections

Step 1: Gather Background Information

Step 2. Identify the Problem

Step 3. State the Hypothesis, Yours and Others'

Step 4. Review Research

Step 5. Design the Treatment Plan

Step 6. Evaluate Effectiveness and Generate your own Evidence

Step 7. Redesign the Plan as Needed


Chapter 4. Jamal: A Previously Happy Preschooler Disengages

Step 1: Gather Background Information

Step 2.Identify the Problem

Step 3.State the Hypothesis, Yours and Others

Step 4.Review Treatment Approaches

Step 5. Designing the Treatment Plan

Step 6.Evaluate Effectiveness and Generate Your own Evidence

Step 7: Redesign the Plan as Needed


Chapter 5. Katherine: A Nine Year Old Learns to Cope with Hew Own Explosive Episodes

Step 1: Gather Background Information

Step 2: Identify the Problem

Step 3: State the Hypothesis, Yours and Others:

Step 4.Consider Treatment Approaches

Step 5.Design the Treatment Plan

Step 6.Evaluate Effectiveness and Generate Your own Evidence


Chapter 6. Brandon: Developmental Delays and OCD present a Big Challenge for a Non-verbal Preschooler

Step 1. Gather Background Information

Step 2. Identify the Problem

Step 3. State the Working Hypothesis, Yours and Others'

Step 4. Review Treatment Approaches

Step 5. Design the Treatment Plan

Step 6. Evaluate Effectiveness and Generate Your Own Evidence

Step 7. Redesign the Plan as Needed


Chapter 7. Raphael: A Happy, Well-Behaved Six Year Old Becomes Increasingly Rigid

Step 1. Gather Background Information

Step 2. Identify the Problem

Step 3. State the Hypothesis, Yours and Others'

Step 4. Review Treatment Approaches


Step 5. Design the Treatment Plan

Step 6. Evaluate Effectiveness and Generate Your Own Evidence

Step 7: Redesign the Plan as Needed


Chapter 8. Alex: Extreme Mood Dysregulation Interferes with School and Home Functioning for a Fourth Grader

Step 1. Gather Background Information

Step 2. Identify the Problem

Step 3. State the Hypothesis, Yours and Others'

Step 4. Review Treatment Approaches

Step 5. Design the Treatment Plan

Step 6. Evaluate Effectiveness and Generate Your Own Evidence

Step 7. Redesign the Plan as Needed


Chapter 9. Emily: A Passive Teenager Begins to Learn Self-help Skills

Step 1. Gather Background Information

Coping with the Present - Worried about the Future

Step 2. Identify the Problem:

Step 3. State the Hypothesis, Yours' and Others?

Step 4: Review Treatment Approaches:

Step 5. Design the Treatment Plan

Step 6. Evaluate Effectiveness and Generate Your Own evidence

Step 7. Redesign the Plan as Needed


Chapter 10. Chen A teenager with Aspergers hits bottom, but with help and determination, heads for college

Step 1. Gather Backgroun Information

Step 2. Identify the problem

Step 3. State the Hypothesis, Yours and Others'

Step 4. Review Treatment Approaches

Step 5. Design the Treatment Plan

Step 6. Evaluate Effectiveness and Generate your own Evidence

Step 7. Redesign the Plan as Needed


Chapter 11. Michael, a 10 year old whose behaviors are becoming more and aggressive and disruptive

Step 1. Gather Background Information

Step 2. Identify the Problem

Step 3. State the Hypothesis, Yours and Others'

Step 4. Review Research

Step 5. Design the Treatment Plan

Step 6. Evaluate Effectiveness and Generate your own Evidence

Step 7. Redesign the Plan as Needed


Chapter 12: Jake: A five year old who has responded well to Floortime

Step 1: Gather Background Information

Step 2. Identify the Problem

Step 3. State the Hypothesis, Yours and Others

Step 4. Review Research

Step 5. Design the Treatment Plan

Step 6. Evaluate Effectiveness and Generate Your Own Evidence

Afterword

Appendix A: Autism Treatment Approaches

References

Naomi Chedd, LMHC, is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and an Educational Consultant in private practice. She specializes in the behavioral, social/emotional, and mental health issues related to children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Prader-Willi Syndrome, and other developmental disabilities.

Karen Levine, PhD is a Licensed Psychologist and Instructor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. She was co-founder and co-director of Boston Children's Hospital's former Center for Autism and Related Disorders Clinic and worked in the field of developmental disabilities for twenty-five years. She is the 2012 recipient of thefirst Lesley University Austim Hero Award.

N. Chedd, Private Practice, Cambridge, MA; K. Levine, Harvard Medical School