Monday, November 21, 2016

A Best Practice Guide to Assessment & Intervention for Autism in Schools

Fully updated to reflect
DSM-5 and current assessment tools, procedures and research, this second
edition of the award-winning book, A
Best Practice Guide to Assessment and Intervention for Autism and Asperger
Syndrome in Schoolsprovides a practical and scientifically-based approach to identifying,
assessing, and treating children and adolescents with an Autism Spectrum
Disorder (ASD) in school settings. Integrating current research evidence with
theory and best practice, this book will support school-based professionals in
a number of key areas including:

Screening
and assessing children and youth on the autism spectrum.

Identifying
evidence-based interventions and practices.

Developing
and implementing comprehensive educational programs and providing family support.

Each chapter features a
consolidated and integrative description of best practice assessment and
intervention/treatment approaches for children and youth with ASD. It brings
the topics of assessment and intervention together in a single authoritative resource
guide consistent with recent advances in evidence-based practice. Illustrative case examples, glossary of terms,
and helpful checklists and forms make this the definitive resource for
identifying and implementing interventions for school-age children and youth with
ASD.

This Guide is intended to
meet the needs of school-based professionals such as school psychologists,
counselors, speech/language pathologists, occupational therapists, counselors,
social workers, administrators, and both general and special education
teachers. Parents, advocates, and community-based professionals will also find
this guide a valuable and informative resource.

“It is rare that one book
can pack so many resources and easy to digest information into a single
volume! Families, school personnel, and professionals all need the
extensive, and up-to-date tips, guides, and ‘must-knows’ provided here. It’s
obvious the author is both a seasoned researcher and practitioner – a winning
combination.”

— Dr. Debra Moore,
psychologist and co-author with Dr. Temple Grandin, of The Loving Push: How
Parents & Professionals Can Help Spectrum Kids Become Successful Adults

“Dr Wilkinson has done it
again. This updated and scholarly Second Edition reflects important recent
changes regarding diagnosis and services for students with Autism Spectrum
Disorder. With its numerous best-practice suggestions, it is a must-read for
school psychologists, school social workers, and those who teach in general and
special education.”

— Dr Steven Landau,
Professor of School Psychology in the Department of Psychology, Illinois State
University

“This book is an essential
resource for every educator that works with students with ASD! The easy-to-read
format is complete with up to date research on evidence-based practices for
this population, sample observation and assessment worksheets and case studies
that allow the reader to apply the information presented.”

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

The Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ; Rutter, Bailey, &
Lord, 2003), previously known as the Autism Screening Questionnaire (ASQ), was
initially designed as a companion screening measure for the Autism Diagnostic
Interview-Revised (ADI-R; Rutter, Le Couteur & Lord). The SCQ is a
parent/caregiver dimensional measure of ASD symptomatology appropriate for
children of any chronological age older than fours years. It can be completed
by the informant in less than 10 minutes. The primary standardization data were
obtained from a sample of 200 individuals who had participated in previous
studies of ASD. The SCQ is available in two forms, Lifetime and Current, each
with 40 questions presented in a yes or no format. Scores on the questionnaire
provide an index of symptom severity and indicate the likelihood that a child
has an ASD. Questions include items in the reciprocal social interaction domain
(e.g., “Does she/he have any particular friends or best friend?”), the
communication domain (e.g., “Can you have a to and fro ‘conversation’ with
him/her that involves taking turns or building on what you have said?”) and the
restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior domain (e.g., Has
she/he ever seemed to be more interested in parts of a toy or an object [e.g.,
spinning the wheels of a car], rather than using the object as intended?”).

Compared to other screening measures, the SCQ has
received significant scrutiny and has consistently demonstrated its
effectiveness in predicting ASD versus non-ASD status in multiple studies. A meta-analysis examining the previous research
on the utility of the SCQ as a screening
instrument found it to be an acceptable
screening tool for ASD (area under the curve = 0.885) (Chesnut et al., 2017). The
scale has been found to have good discriminant validity and utility as an
efficient screener for at-risk groups of school-age children. The lifetime
version is recommended for screening purposes as it demonstrates the highest
sensitivity value. A threshold raw
score of >15 is recommended to minimize the risk of false negatives and
indicate the need for a comprehensive evaluation. Comparing autism to other
diagnoses, this threshold score resulted in a
sensitivity value of .96 and a specificity value of .80 in a large population
of children with autism and other developmental disorders. The positive
predictive value was .93 with this cutoff. The authors recommend using
different cut-off scores for different purposes and populations. Several studies (Allen et al., 2007;
Eaves et al, 2006) have suggested that a cut-off of 11 may be more clinically
useful (Norris & Lecavalier, 2010).

The SCQ is one of the most researched of the
ASD-specific evaluation tools and can be recommended for screening and as part
of comprehensive developmental assessment for ASD (Chestnut et al., 2017; Norris &
Lecavalier, 2010; Wilkinson, 2010, 2016). The SCQ (Lifetime form) is an efficient screening
instrument for identifying children with possible ASD for a more in-depth
assessment. For clinical purposes, practitioners might consider a multistage
assessment beginning with the SCQ, followed by a comprehensive developmental
evaluation (Wilkinson, 2011, 2016). However, cut-off scores may need to be adjusted
depending on the population in which it is used. The evidence also indicates
that although the SCQ is appropriate for a wide age range, it is less effective
when used with younger populations (e.g., children two to three years). It was
designed for individuals above the age of four years, and seems to perform best
with individuals over seven years of age.

Wilkinson, L. A. (2017). A best practice guide to assessment and intervention for autism spectrum disorder in schools (2nd Edition). London and Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.Lee A. Wilkinson, PhD, NCSP is a licensed and nationally certified school psychologist, registered psychologist, and certified cognitive-behavioral therapist. He is author of the award-winning book, A Best Practice Guide to Assessment and Intervention for Autism
and Asperger Syndrome in Schools, published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Monday, November 7, 2016

It is estimated that nearly a half million youth with autism will enter adulthood over the next decade. As children with autism become adults their primary medical care will move from pediatrics to adult medicine. A survey by the Autism Research Program at Kaiser Permanente Northern California found that many healthcare providers are ill prepared to treat adults on the autism spectrum. The findings were reported at the International Meeting for Autism Research in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Researchers polled providers of adult primary care, mental health, and obstetrics and gynecology services through the insurer’s network. Practitioners were asked about their ability to recognize autism, their knowledge of the disorder, their comfort level in treating those with the condition and their need for training and resources.

Of 922 providers surveyed, 77 percent rated their ability to treat patients on the spectrum as poor or fair. While more that 90 percent of the providers said they would investigate the possibility of autism in patients with limited eye contact, most under-reported the number of people on the autism spectrum who were actually under their care. In addition, only 13 percent of providers indicated that they had adequate tools or referral resources to appropriately accommodate those with autism.

To better understand the providers’ responses, follow-up interviews were conducted with nine primary care physicians. The researchers found that the majority had received limited or no autism training in medical school or during their residencies. All of the providers indicated a need for more education and improvements in the transition from pediatric care providers to adult medicine for those on the autism spectrum.

The preparation of healthcare providers is a pressing issue as an increasing number of individuals with autism are expected to enter adulthood in the coming years. Further research is urgently needed to study the transition from pediatric to adult healthcare and identify strategies that will lead to better medical care for adults on the autism spectrum.

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The objective of bestpracticeautism.com is to advocate, educate, and informby providing a best practice guide to the screening, assessment, and intervention for school-age children on the autism spectrum. Timely articles and postings include topics such as screening, evaluation, positive behavior support (PBS), self-management, educational planning, IEP development, gender differences, evidence-based interventions (EBI) and more. This site also features up-to-date information on scientifically validated treatment options for children with ASD and a list of best practice books, articles, and links to organizations. Designed to be a practical and useful resource, bestpracticeautism.com offers essential information for psychologists, teachers, counselors, advocates and attorneys, special education professionals, and parents.

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Praise for "A Best Practice Guide..."

“It is rare that one book can pack so many resources and easy to digest information into a single volume! Families, school personnel, and professionals all need the extensive, and up-to-date tips, guides, and ‘must-knows’ provided here. It’s obvious the author is both a seasoned researcher and practitioner – a winning combination.” - Dr. Debra Moore, psychologist and co-author with Dr. Temple Grandin, of The Loving Push: How Parents & Professionals Can Help Spectrum Kids Become Successful Adult

“Dr Wilkinson has done it again. This updated and scholarly Second Edition reflects important recent changes regarding diagnosis and services for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. With its numerous best-practice suggestions, it is a must-read for school psychologists, school social workers, and those who teach in general and special education.” - Dr Steven Landau, Professor of School Psychology in the Department of Psychology, Illinois State University

“This book is an essential resource for every educator that works with students with ASD! The easy-to-read format is complete with up to date research on evidence-based practices for this population, sample observation and assessment worksheets and case studies that allow the reader to apply the information presented.” - Gena P. Barnhill, PhD, NCSP, BCBA-D, LBA, Director of Special Education Programs at Lynchburg College, Lynchburg, VA

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