The 2004 Supreme Court of Canada decision in "Auton" concerns the right of autistic children to access services held by their parents to be essential to their children's ability to participate as members of a democratic society. It is argued that the child's right to have his or her basic developmental needs met is a constitutionally…

Many children with autism display reactions to auditory stimuli that seem as if the stimuli were painful or otherwise extremely aversive. This article describes, within the contexts of three experimental designs, how procedures of systematic desensitization can be used to treat hypersensitivity to auditory stimuli in three young children with…

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a Social Story [TM] intervention in teaching a young child with hyperlexia to appropriately obtain the attention of his peers. The Social Story intervention consisted of verbal and visual cues incorporated into an age-appropriate storybook format. Attempting to obtain the attention of a…

These experiments explored whether behavioral improvements observed during Snoezelen OT treatment sessions carried over to two different settings for three people with moderate/severe intellectual disability, autism and severe challenging behaviors. Experiment 1 explored engagement during a functional task immediately following the treatment…

This study examined expenses associated with providing the Lovaas behavioral therapy for children with autism as well as the amount and type of stress parents perceive in raising an autistic child. Parents (12 mothers and 10 fathers) of autistic children (mean age 56 months) completed a self-report questionnaire. Expenses associated with the…

Twelve papers focus on issues involving severe behavior disorders in the schools and autism. The following papers are included: "Behavioral Ecology--A Unifying Strategy for the '80s" (F. Hewett); "Academic Skill Development--The Promise of Modeling Strategies" (R. Gable, J. Hendrickson); "Future Directions in Self-Control Research" (R. Rueda);…

The historical background and early contributions of the Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital, the first psychiatric hospital for children in the United States, are described; with emphasis on the incorporation of the treatment modality of behavior modification into this traditional psychoanalytically oriented program. (Author/SBH)

This booklet explains a system for prevention of and intervention with behavior problems in individuals with mental retardation and autism. The underlying premise is that all behaviors are an effort at communication and that by deciphering the communicative intent or function, one can guide an individual to a more acceptable mode of communication.…

A study of an 11-year-old boy with autism and mild mental retardation found that his escape-maintained destructive behavior was reduced during instructional sequences with differential reinforcement of compliance, escape extinction without physical guidance, and demand fading. The procedure decreased destructive behaviors to near-zero levels and…

This article describes a service-delivery model for individuals with autism that incorporates the philosophy and essential elements of positive behavioral support (PBS). A case study of a 4-year-old boy with autism is provided to illustrate one's family's experience with the family focus process. Key elements of PBS are discussed. (Contains…

A study examined the effectiveness of properly constructed social stories that had been introduced into the natural environment to target the disruptive behavior of three children (ages 7-15) with autism. A decrease in disruptive behavior was evidenced when the intervention was implemented for all participants. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

The article describes the use of interrupted behavior chains to teach communication skills in natural settings with autistic students. Empirical and theoretical bases for the training strategy are explained as are specific procedures for implementing the strategy. Implications of the strategy for classroom organization and service delivery are…

A multicomponent intervention to change problem behavior, which prevented community integration of three adolescents with autism, was evaluated. The intervention (implemented in a supermarket setting) included choice making, embedding, functional communication training, building tolerance for delay of reinforcement, and presenting discriminative…

A treatment package consisting of differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO), token fines, and prompted relaxation was used to reduce the agitated-disruptive behavior of a young adult with autism and mental retardation living in a community group home. DRO procedures were partially implemented by a peer with Down syndrome. Baseline rates…

Results of a functional analysis of self-injurious behavior (SIB) in a 7-year-old child with autism showed that her SIB was maintained by access to preferred object and escape or avoidance of task demands. Warning stimuli in combination with extinction and noncontingent reinforcement reduced SIB to acceptable levels. (Author/CR)