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Heightened levels of stress are observed in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), yet little is known about the relationship between stress and coping in mothers of children recently diagnosed with an ASD. The objectives of this study were to determine the levels of maternal stress, identify coping strategies used by mothers, examine the relationship between stress and coping, and ascertain whether coping mediated the relationship between ASD symptom severity and subsequent maternal stress. Data on 128 mothers of children who had received a diagnosis of ASD in the last four months were examined. Results indicated that mothers presented with elevated levels of stress. With regards to coping, escape-avoidance and confrontive coping were positively correlated with stress, while seeking social support was negatively correlated with stress. Confrontive coping did not mediate the relationship between ASD symptom severity and maternal stress. Results confirm previous findings, while underscoring the importance of helping mothers understand the relationship between the coping strategies they adopt and the subsequent stress they experience.

This study assessed which behaviour management techniques, BMTs, pediatric dentists are using, and find effective in treating patients with Autism Spectrum Disorders, ASD and identified influences which contributed to their use. Surveys were mailed and emailed to 1669 members of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Seven hundred eighty-nine (48.2%) completed surveys were returned. Nearly 60% of respondents treated children with ASD weekly or more frequently. Of the 23 listed BMTs, General Anaesthesia, Tell-Show-Do, Distraction, and Non-verbal Communication, were considered effective. Seventy percent of respondents were primarily users of classical BMTs. Pharmacological and classical techniques, are used frequently, but may not be effective. Time and costs limit the use of modern techniques. Cost efficiency and long-term patient management were the most influential factors in selecting a BMT; patient co-operation was the least influential. Pediatric dentists recognized a need for further education related to behaviour management of children with ASD.

This study assessed which behaviour management techniques, BMTs, pediatric dentists are using, and find effective in treating patients with Autism Spectrum Disorders, ASD and identified influences which contributed to their use. Surveys were mailed and emailed to 1669 members of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Seven hundred eighty-nine (48.2%) completed surveys were returned. Nearly 60% of respondents treated children with ASD weekly or more frequently. Of the 23 listed BMTs, General Anaesthesia, Tell-Show-Do, Distraction, and Non-verbal Communication, were considered effective. Seventy percent of respondents were primarily users of classical BMTs. Pharmacological and classical techniques, are used frequently, but may not be effective. Time and costs limit the use of modern techniques. Cost efficiency and long-term patient management were the most influential factors in selecting a BMT; patient co-operation was the least influential. Pediatric dentists recognized a need for further education related to behaviour management of children with ASD.

Children with autism often display oppositionality and severe disruptive behaviour in relation to academic tasks and other parental requests. Social deficits also represent a core symptom of this disorder. As a means of treating the challenging behaviours of these children, Ducharme and Drain (2004) evaluated a proactive, non-aversive intervention, errorless academic compliance training that was focused on building child tolerance to challenging demands. In this study, the four children demonstrated impressive improvements in child compliance to academic requests throughout and following treatment. Substantial generalization to untrained academic and non-academic requests also occurred. The current study replicated the intervention used in Ducharme and Drain (2004) with a larger sample of children with autism (eight) to further substantiate the efficacy of the approach and to examine potential covariant change in child social behaviours as a result of the intervention. In a multiple baseline across subjects design, parents implemented errorless academic compliance training with their children. During baseline, they delivered various academic and household requests to determine the probability of compliance for each request. We then developed a hierarchy of academic requests ranging from high probability (i.e., Level 1) to low probability (i.e., Level 4). At the beginning of treatment, parents delivered academic requests from Level 1 and provided praise and reinforcement for compliant child responses. Children were gradually introduced to increasingly more challenging requests from subsequent probability levels and rewarded for compliance to these requests. During both baseline and treatment, we also measured aspects of child social behaviour during sessions in which parents engaged in activities with their children. Participant children demonstrated high levels of compliance throughout and following treatment, as well as generalized cooperation to untrained academic and general household requests that were not the focus of treatment. Parents reported covariant behavioural improvements (i.e., reduced problematic behaviour and positive social gains), particularly for children exhibiting more core deficits of autism. Treatment gains were maintained up to 6 months following treatment. Errorless academic compliance training appears to hold considerable potential for improving the learning and social opportunities of children with autism.

Children with autism often display oppositionality and severe disruptive behaviour in relation to academic tasks and other parental requests. Social deficits also represent a core symptom of this disorder. As a means of treating the challenging behaviours of these children, Ducharme and Drain (2004) evaluated a proactive, non-aversive intervention, errorless academic compliance training that was focused on building child tolerance to challenging demands. In this study, the four children demonstrated impressive improvements in child compliance to academic requests throughout and following treatment. Substantial generalization to untrained academic and non-academic requests also occurred. The current study replicated the intervention used in Ducharme and Drain (2004) with a larger sample of children with autism (eight) to further substantiate the efficacy of the approach and to examine potential covariant change in child social behaviours as a result of the intervention. In a multiple baseline across subjects design, parents implemented errorless academic compliance training with their children. During baseline, they delivered various academic and household requests to determine the probability of compliance for each request. We then developed a hierarchy of academic requests ranging from high probability (i.e., Level 1) to low probability (i.e., Level 4). At the beginning of treatment, parents delivered academic requests from Level 1 and provided praise and reinforcement for compliant child responses. Children were gradually introduced to increasingly more challenging requests from subsequent probability levels and rewarded for compliance to these requests. During both baseline and treatment, we also measured aspects of child social behaviour during sessions in which parents engaged in activities with their children. Participant children demonstrated high levels of compliance throughout and following treatment, as well as generalized cooperation to untrained academic and general household requests that were not the focus of treatment. Parents reported covariant behavioural improvements (i.e., reduced problematic behaviour and positive social gains), particularly for children exhibiting more core deficits of autism. Treatment gains were maintained up to 6 months following treatment. Errorless academic compliance training appears to hold considerable potential for improving the learning and social opportunities of children with autism.

Previous research has indicated success using Social Stories with preschoolers with mild levels of autism. The purpose of this study was to determine if Social Stories implemented in the home setting would be effective with preschool children diagnosed with moderate to severe autism. Social Stories were implemented with 3 male preschool-aged participants. Two were classified as in the moderate range and one was in the severe range of autism. A variety of socially inappropriate behaviors were addressed including inappropriate dinnertime behaviors, transitioning to bedtime, and inappropriate touching. Data revealed no significant change in target behaviors (dinnertime behaviors and transitioning to bedtime) exhibited by moderately functioning preschool children. However, data did reveal a decrease in the frequency of inappropriate touching from the child who fell in the severe range of functioning. It is not clear from the current research whether it was the severity level of autism or the types of target behaviors that may have resulted in a lack of success using the Social Story intervention.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a group of disorders that affect social, communication, and behavioral development. Identification of clinically distinct subtypes of ASDs, especially in the developmental period when delays or deficits are first recognized (i.e., in the first few years of life), can lend clues to etiology and trajectory and enhance current knowledge on early manifestations of the disorders. Moreover, identification of clinically distinct subtypes of ASDs may inform early identification efforts. Past research suggests that social relations, verbal abilities, nonverbal abilities, and the presence of certain stereotyped interests and behaviors (SIB) may be important factors in delineating subtypes of ASDs in toddlers. Yet there is no published study that examines empirically derived subtypes in a sample of such young children. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine whether clinically distinct subtypes can be derived from a sample of toddlers who fail an autism screen and are subsequently diagnosed with developmental concerns, including an ASD. Results found that subtypes delineated by social-communicative maturity were found in both of the aforementioned samples of children. Furthermore, the ASD only sample was also distinguished by rate and intensity of certain types of SIB. Implications for autism theory, early identification, and early intervention are discussed.

Syftet med denna studie har varit att undersöka hur några pedagoger, som arbetar med barn i autismspekrat, uppfattade hur barnen/ eleverna utvecklades fysiskt, kunskapsmässigt och socialt genom relationen till hästar och ridning. Fyra pedagoger har intervjuats, en observation som fullständig observatör har genomförts och innehållet i två hästböcker har studerats. Dessa hästböcker är en individuell dokumentation för varje elev och ridtillfälle som görs i en speciell bok i ord och bild av medföljande pedagog.   De intervjuade pedagogerna uppfattade att deras elever med autism utvecklas positivt genom att vistas i stallet och genom att rida. Mest framträdande är att de utvecklas fysiskt men också att de utvecklar initiativ och kommunikationsförmåga. Vidare visar studien att genom att vara i stallet med dess rutiner som skapar en struktur för barnen med autism så mår de väl och blir harmoniska. När eleverna lärt sig rutinerna i stallet visar de motivation till att göra nya saker och tar egna initiativ till det.

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