Autism Related Research

"Revealing Report on Methods for Treating Autism"

AScribe Newswire - A California research team that includes a pair of California State University, Stanislaus psychology professors has taken a significant step in what most experts predict will be a long journey in developing effective treatment for autism. They were part of a team of psychologists who conducted a study that dispels some popular notions about how to treat autism.

The California study found that intensive Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) was a substantially more effective treatment for a group of preschool children with autism than the mixture of methods that is provided in manyeducation and treatment programs. ABA emphasizes breaking skills down into small parts and building them systematically through repetition and positive reinforcement. At the same time, behaviors that are harmful or that interfere with learning are analyzed carefully and are not reinforced. The long-term goal is to help each child be as successful and independent as possible at school, at home and in the community. The pioneering study was completed by CSU Stanislaus psychology faculty members Dr. Jane Howard and Dr. Harold Stanislaw and their colleagues Coleen Sparkman, Director of The Kendall School in Modesto; Dr.Howard Cohen, Clinical Director of Valley Mountain Regional Center in Stockton; and Dr. Gina Green of San Diego, a nationally known researcher and consultant in the field of autism.

"This study corroborates earlier studies showing the power of early intensive behavior analytic intervention," said Howard, the study's principal investigator. "It is important because it is one of only a few studies in which the ABA intervention was delivered through a community-based, rather than a university-affiliated program. These results signal the potential for delivering effective intervention without the resources of auniversity-based clinic."

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