Cara Marker Daily – 2-Day Autism Spectrum Masterclass: Social and Behavioral Interventions to Reduce Complex and Challenging Behaviors in Children, Adolescents & Young Adults

Outline

Neuropsychology: How the Brain with Autism WorksNeuropsychology: How the Brain with Autism Works

• Latest research in ASD brain developmentLatest research in ASD brain development
• Comorbid disorders and symptomsComorbid disorders and symptoms
• Enhanced vs. impaired abilitiesEnhanced vs. impaired abilities
• Information processing: Typical brain vs. brain with autismInformation processing: Typical brain vs. brain with autism
• How an individual with ASD processes tasksHow an individual with ASD processes tasks

Assessments: From Observational to Standardized Tools Assessments: From Observational to Standardized Tools

• Comprehensive diagnostic tools and evaluationsComprehensive diagnostic tools and evaluations
• Screeners for anxiety, depression, OCDScreeners for anxiety, depression, OCD
• Career planning assessmentsCareer planning assessments
• Modified checklists for infants and toddlersModified checklists for infants and toddlers
• Accurately interpret reports to guide interventionsAccurately interpret reports to guide interventions
• Ethical challenges in assessment and communication of diagnosisEthical challenges in assessment and communication of diagnosis

TAKE YOUR AUTISM INTERVENTION TO THE NEXT LEVEL! TAKE YOUR AUTISM INTERVENTION TO THE NEXT LEVEL!

Effectively Intervene Early Effectively Intervene Early

• Applied Behavioral Analysis to break down targeted skillsApplied Behavioral Analysis to break down targeted skills
• Developmental interventions to express feelings and form relationshipsDevelopmental interventions to express feelings and form relationships
• Educational interventions for parentsEducational interventions for parents
• Ethical principles to educate and support families in treatment choicesEthical principles to educate and support families in treatment choices
• Case study:Case study: 2-year-old boy, working on verbal requests 2-year-old boy, working on verbal requests

Strengthen Communication and Social Interaction Skills Strengthen Communication and Social Interaction Skills

• Visual systems to improve communication and reduce meltdownsVisual systems to improve communication and reduce meltdowns
• Teach turn-taking and pragmatic languageTeach turn-taking and pragmatic language
• Programs to assist in generalizing social skillsPrograms to assist in generalizing social skills
• Video modeling and role play to teach social rulesVideo modeling and role play to teach social rules
• Social stories and social autopsiesSocial stories and social autopsies
• Special interests to change unwanted or inappropriate behaviorSpecial interests to change unwanted or inappropriate behavior
• Case study:Case study: 8-year-old male, competitive, difficulty losing at games, aggressive with peers 8-year-old male, competitive, difficulty losing at games, aggressive with peers

Manage Sensory Overload and Self-Stimulatory Behaviors Manage Sensory Overload and Self-Stimulatory Behaviors

• Exposure to more appropriate self-stimulatory behaviorsExposure to more appropriate self-stimulatory behaviors
• Fading out severe self-stimulatory behaviorsFading out severe self-stimulatory behaviors
• Environmental strategies including classroom modificationsEnvironmental strategies including classroom modifications
• Case study:Case study: 6-year-old female, hand flapping, rocking, and high-pitch squealing sounds 6-year-old female, hand flapping, rocking, and high-pitch squealing sounds

Decode ADHD and Executive Functioning in ASD Decode ADHD and Executive Functioning in ASD

• Improve attention, on-task and organizational skillsImprove attention, on-task and organizational skills
• Schedules, timelines, web diagrammingSchedules, timelines, web diagramming
• How to provide more preferred tasks vs. less preferred tasksHow to provide more preferred tasks vs. less preferred tasks
• “Home base” to help organize in classroom“Home base” to help organize in classroom
• Case study:Case study: 11-year-old male, difficulty planning/ organizing, needs help with social pragmatic language skills 11-year-old male, difficulty planning/ organizing, needs help with social pragmatic language skills

Decrease Undesirable Physical, Verbal and Other Inappropriate BehaviorsDecrease Undesirable Physical, Verbal and Other Inappropriate Behaviors

• Turn noncompliance and oppositional behavior aroundTurn noncompliance and oppositional behavior around
• Applied behavioral analysis techniquesApplied behavioral analysis techniques
• Token economy systemsToken economy systems
• Functional behavioral assessment made easyFunctional behavioral assessment made easy
• Case study: Case study: 10-year old male, impulsive, engages in stealing behaviors10-year old male, impulsive, engages in stealing behaviors

Manage Anxiety and Specific Phobias Manage Anxiety and Specific Phobias

• Cognitive Behavioral and Coping Cat TrainingCognitive Behavioral and Coping Cat Training
• Recognize emotional and physical reactions to anxietyRecognize emotional and physical reactions to anxiety
• Clarifying thoughts and feelings in anxious situationsClarifying thoughts and feelings in anxious situations
• Develop plans for effective copingDevelop plans for effective coping
• Evaluate performance and giving self-reinforcementEvaluate performance and giving self-reinforcement
• Case study:Case study: 9-year old male, generalized anxiety disorder, and school phobia 9-year old male, generalized anxiety disorder, and school phobia

Decrease Obsessive-Compulsive BehaviorsDecrease Obsessive-Compulsive Behaviors

• Decipher symptoms of OCD vs ASDDecipher symptoms of OCD vs ASD
• CBT and Exposure and Response PreventionCBT and Exposure and Response Prevention
• Mapping OCDMapping OCD
• Creating the exposure hierarchyCreating the exposure hierarchy
• Relapse prevention and family sessionsRelapse prevention and family sessions
• Case study:Case study: 22-year old female, excessive hand washing with fear of illness 22-year old female, excessive hand washing with fear of illness

Reduce Depressive Symptoms and Suicidal Ideation Reduce Depressive Symptoms and Suicidal Ideation

• Psychosocial interventions: Experiential activities with practice timePsychosocial interventions: Experiential activities with practice time
• Cognitive-behavioral therapiesCognitive-behavioral therapies
• Mindfulness-based therapiesMindfulness-based therapies
• Family therapiesFamily therapies
• Social and vocational programsSocial and vocational programs
• Case study:Case study: 15-year-old male, hates school and has a plan, intent, and timeline for suicide 15-year-old male, hates school and has a plan, intent, and timeline for suicide

Sexuality and Sexual Behavior Challenges Sexuality and Sexual Behavior Challenges

• Body awareness and exploration of selfBody awareness and exploration of self
• Sexual arousal, puberty and sex educationSexual arousal, puberty and sex education
• Address dating and sexual relationshipsAddress dating and sexual relationships
• Education on masturbation and pornographyEducation on masturbation and pornography
• Gender Identity and LGBTQGender Identity and LGBTQ
• Case study:Case study: 14-year-old male, frequent masturbation and stalking behaviors 14-year-old male, frequent masturbation and stalking behaviors

Psychopharmacological Interventions Psychopharmacological Interventions

• Commonly prescribed medicationsCommonly prescribed medications
• Medication efficacyMedication efficacy
• Risks vs. benefitsRisks vs. benefits
• Case study:Case study: 17-year-old male, flat affect, on medication for ADHD and anxiety 17-year-old male, flat affect, on medication for ADHD and anxiety

Special Considerations Special Considerations

• Trauma: Similarities and differences with ASDTrauma: Similarities and differences with ASD
• Independent living and career planning Independent living and career planning
• Guardianship and legal IssuesGuardianship and legal Issues
• Multicultural and gender differencesMulticultural and gender differences
• Limitations of research and potential risksLimitations of research and potential risks
• Case study:Case study: 5-year-old male, adopted overseas with no birth or developmental history 5-year-old male, adopted overseas with no birth or developmental history
• Case Study:Case Study: 19-year-old female, living at home with mom, no job, and never diagnosed with ASD 19-year-old female, living at home with mom, no job, and never diagnosed with ASD

Ethical Challenges in Autism Ethical Challenges in Autism

• Guidelines for assessment, treatment, and consultationGuidelines for assessment, treatment, and consultation
• Welfare of the individual Informed consentWelfare of the individual Informed consent
• Use of restraintsUse of restraints
• Time-out vs. seclusionTime-out vs. seclusion
• Case study: Case study: 8-year-old-male, screaming, standing on top of table with scissors in his hand8-year-old-male, screaming, standing on top of table with scissors in his hand