...On the contrary, Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is usually short term with a focus on helping clients deal with very specific problems. It is primarily geared towards assisting clients with learning how to identify and change disturbing or dysfunctional thought patterns which influence their behaviors negatively. Essentially cognitive behavioral therapy has a main goal of teaching clients to realize that despite not having control over every aspect of the world they are a part of, they are able to control how they interpret and cope with things in their surroundings. Likewise, cognitive behavior therapy has been found to facilitate strong therapeutic alliance as a result of its focus on psychoeducation, skill development, collaboration and the goal of immediate symptom relief which have been successful in improving psychological...
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...Efficacy of ABA intervention research: Can you trust it? Isaac Lynn Abstract Autism interventions are loudly proclaimed to be effective, yet evidence-based research is often non-existent. In the absence of quality research, interventions such as the most widely utilized in autism, ABA, is touted to be absolutely effective and possibly the only answer for gains to be made in changing autism. Unfortunately, this may diminish the ability of the individual with autism to change in a positive manner. Additionally, immense monetary bills compound the problem. Caregivers may even bankrupt themselves trying to save their child or family member paying high premiums for ABA services that may or may not actually effectively change or manage behaviors of individuals with autism. This paper will discuss whether or not ABA research actually proves the effectiveness of ABA interventions. ABA interventions are defined as “those in which the principles of learning theory are applied in a systematic and measurable manner to increase, reduce, maintain and/or generalize target behaviors” (Education, 2007). ABA includes methodology such as reinforcement of target behaviors, shaping and chaining new behaviors, fading inappropriate behaviors, response and stimulus prompting, discrimination training, programming new behaviors, ideas and attitudes...
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...disorders are biological brain disorders that are responsible for early onset brain dysfunctions. The disorders can be genetic or acquired from trauma, heredity, the environment, or illness. This paper will discuss the behavioral criteria for two different disorders, along with the incidence rates, causes, and two treatment options for each disorder. The two different disorders that will be talked about in this paper will be autism and eating disorders. Autism What is autism? Autism is not considered by many a “serious” disorder; this disorder starts in infancy, and may be characterized by different factors: impaired language and communication, repetitive disorder and abnormal social development. The diagnosis of autism is based on “observed behavior” and educational and psychological testing. When trying to determine whether a child is autistic or not there are a number of signs that parents and observers can watch for. Children that have poor eye contact, little interest in other people, and do not respond to their name are considered to be autistic. Other signs involve the child having trouble with their speech. Autism begins in early brain development and obvious sign may occur between 2 and 3 years of age. Genetics seems to be the most responsible for autism. As a growing negative epidemic of this disease growing among Americans, it has now been diagnosed to affect 1 in every 68 children (Volkmark, 2009). As oppose to certain disorder being diagnosed more in certain races...
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...Disorders Autism Autism it is a serious disorder that begins in infancy and is characterized by abnormal social development, impaired language and communication, and repetitive behavior. The diagnosis of autism is based on “observed behavior and educational and psychological testing (Autism Speaks).” When trying to determine whether a child is autistic or not there are a number of signs that parents and observers can watch for. Children that have poor eye contact, little interest in other people, and do not respond to their name are considered to be autistic. Other signs involve the child having trouble with their speech. This could mean no babbling or no speech at all by 16 months. If a child does not gesture or point at things as in showing you something their interested in or possibly want by a certain age then they may also be considered autistic. Autism begins in early brain development and obvious sign may occur between 2 and 3 years of age. Genetics seems to be the most responsible for autism. “Many genes on several chromosomes have been implicated; in some cases genes related to neural communication appear to have been copied to many times or left out during meiosis (Carol K. Singleman, Elizabeth A. Rider).” Meiosis is the process of a reproductive cell in the mother’s ovaries or in the father’s testes that contains 46 chromosomes splitting into two 46 chromosome cells. Once this division process is complete then those two chromosomes split again to form a total...
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...What is autism? Definition Autism is a severely incapacitating developmental disorder of brain function characterized by three major types of symptoms: impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and unusual or severely limited activities and interests. The definition of Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is provided by the Diagnostic and Statistical manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). Children with autism are less able to interact with the world as other children do. To provide a comprehensive definition of Autism Spectrum Disorder, there are separate labels given to children with autism for different points on the Autism spectrum. At the least affected end, you may find labels such as "Asperger's Syndrome", "High Functioning Autism" and "Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified" (PDD-NOS). At the other end of the spectrum you may find labels such as "Autism", "Classic Autism" and "Kanner Autism". Description Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. The diagnostic criteria require that symptoms become apparent before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their synapses connect and organize; how this occurs is not well understood. It is one of three recognized disorders in the autism spectrum (ASDs), the other two...
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...The Effectiveness of Music Therapy in Treating Children with Autism: A Literature Review Abstract This literature review explores the use of music therapy in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and its degree of effectiveness in helping children to better develop social and communication skills. All of the sources discussed used improvisational music therapy to conduct different types of studies that address the usefulness of music therapy. Researchers used different methods of measuring children’s responsiveness to music therapy. A majority of the authors claim music therapy has a considerably positive effect in treating children with autism; however, some results indicated there is not enough evidence to confirm music therapy has a significant impact or that it is the best form of treatment for autistic individuals. There is a need for further research in order to determine whether or not music therapy is the most effective form of therapy. Future studies may be more strategically designed to minimize the difficulty in analyzing such complicated results. In addition, there should be studies that have clinical value and contain a larger number of participants so that the results may be better generalized. Introduction For years, scientists, doctors, psychiatrists, and several others have been trying to determine the cause of autism as well as a cure for the disease. Autism is a type of Pervasive Developmental Disease that is characterized by an inability...
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...Autism Do you believe that Autism may be caused by a specific thing? Is it possible that there is a specific gene that may be present in children that have been diagnosed with Autism, which may make them more vulnerable or likely to develop Autism? Maybe Autism can develop from a vaccine or from vaccine sensitivity? Scientific research has shown that there is no direct link between the two, however how else would you explain, an otherwise perfectly developing child one day, to a child who is withdrawn and completely different the next? Because the actual cause of Autism is not known, in this paper, I will explore some of the probable causes, the signs and symptoms, as well as the treatment options that are available to a family, which may suspect their child may be suffering from Autism. Autism is a developmental disorder that is diagnosed within the ages of 1-3. Children diagnosed with Autism are known to have social and communication disorders. The exact cause is unknown, but according to the Center for Disease Control, there are some suspected causes, which include, diet, digestive changes, mercury poisoning, and vaccine sensitivity. The rising number is not known if it is due to an actual rise in cases, or if it is because, it is now much easier to diagnose the disease. Autism does affect more boys than girls. There is no link between lifestyle, income levels or education to having a child with autism. (http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines). Studies show that some children do...
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...Autism PSY340 xx-xx-xxxx Instructor Autism From A Neuropsychological Standpoint The neurodevelopmental disorder autism and autistic spectrum disorders in general impair a child's learning, communication, and socialization. One common feature of autism is the individuals lack of understanding that other people's way of seeing things can be different than their own (Murray, 2011). For instance, telling a story from a point of view other than their own. Autism is currently recognized at three distinct levels that are nevertheless linked: it is a neurological disorder that is linked to brain development; it is a psychological disorder of cognitive, emotional and behavioral development; and it is a relationship disorder which demonstrates a failure of normal socialization. Autism is within a group of disorders known as pervasive developmental disorders (Fritson, 2008). This disorder is usually clearly apparent by age three, and generally has reached it's full severity at that point. Common early indications of autism include delayed onset of language ability and delayed onset of social interaction. Autism is heterogeneous, with children being normal in some respects and severely impaired in others. Of individuals with the disorder, about 80% are male, about 60% have significant mental retardation, and approx. 35% have epilepsy. Autistic individuals tend to show savant abilities (Pinel, 2009). Autism is associated with widespread damage in the brain, with the...
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...AUTISM Autistic individuals typically have problems processing auditory information. One auditory processing problem occurs when a person hears speech sounds but he/she does not perceive the meaning of the sounds. For example, if someone says the word ‘shoe,’ the person may hear the speech sound, but he/she does not understand the meaning of the sound. Sometimes the lack of speech comprehension is interpreted by others as an unwillingness to comply. However, the person may not be able to retrieve the meaning of the sound at that particular time. Eric Courchesne of the University of California at San Diego has found significant impairments in auditory processing in autistic individuals using P300 brain wave technology (see Courchesne, 1987 for a review). The P300 brain wave occurs 300 milli-seconds after the presentation of a stimulus. (The ‘P’ refers to the positive polarity of the brain wave.) The P300 is associated with cognitive processing, and this brain wave is considered an indication of long-term memory retrieval (Donchin, Ritter, & McCallum, 1978). Edelson et al. (1999) examined auditory P300 activity prior to and three months following auditory integration training (AIT). Three autistic individuals participated in the experimental AIT group and two autistic individuals participated in a placebo group. Prior to AIT, all five individuals had abnormal auditory P300 activity, indicating an auditory processing problem. Three months following AIT, the results...
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...Bennett Demographics and General Student Information: Student S. Scott is a 17 y/old high school senior. S. Scott was diagnosed with Autism and Speech Impairment during early childhood education. S. Scott uses oral English language skills to communicate. According to her current Full and Individual Evaluations, She has been identified with a speech impairment due to a moderate language impairment secondary to Autism. According to the last formal evaluation, S. Scott cognitive ability was estimated to be within the low average range. Adaptive behavior was measured informally and was considered commensurate with estimates of intellectual functioning. S. Scott continues to exhibit appropriate adaptive behavior skills. She is able to function independently throughout the school setting. Results from the last formal evaluation revealed academic deficits in the areas of reading comprehension, math calculations, and math problem solving. Both S. Scott and her teachers have identified weaknesses in her ability to think abstractly concerning passages she has read. S. Scott reported math to be an area of weakness. She currently receives modified instruction in all core subject areas. She achieved passing grades in all of her classes for the Fall Semester 2014. Due to S. Scott disability of Autism and Speech, she is likely to experience difficulty with social and communication skills. She may be hesitant to respond in the large classroom setting or in front...
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...and clarified in order to adhere more relevantly to clinical practice. This included the consolidation of autism disorder, Asperger’s syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) into a single diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder with dimensional specifier. Diagnoses of substance abuse and substance dependence were also combined into a single entity of substance use disorder (specified by substance). The transition from discrete diagnostic labels for empirically related disorders to umbrella terms with specifiers represents a significant shift towards a more dimensional approach to classifying psychopathology. Autism spectrum disorder. DSM-5 states that symptoms attributed to autism disorder, Asperger’s syndrome, and PDD fall along a single continuum of impairments across the domains of social communication and restrictive/repetitive behaviors/interests (APA, 2013). Rather than being considered distinct disorders, individuals meet criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with specification of severity (mild to severe). DSM-5 asserts that this modification serves to improve sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (APA, 2013; McPartland, Reichow, & Volkmar, 2012). Improved diagnostics will ultimately lead to increasingly focused treatment targets related to specific impairments. Substance use. Similar to the consolidation of autism disorder, Asperger’s, and PDD under the overarching diagnosis of ASD, the categories of substance abuse...
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...of social interactions, it is of interest to study the neural encoding of high-level social features, such as the emotional states or intention of another individuals. (Brothers, Ring, & Kling, 1990, p. 199) Perceiving Other People’s Actions and Motor Resonance Humans are adapted to living in social groups with complex patterns of social interactions. Understanding the meaning of other people’s behavior is an essential aspect of human communication, and a large amount of our daily life is spent watching and interpreting the actions of others (Barresi & Moore, 1996). The neural mechanism underlying our ability to represent others’ goals by the mere observation of their motor actions has been the target of considerable research. Behavioral experiments had suggested that the system for generating and representing actions is also used in the perception of actions (Knoblich & Prinz, 2001). This approach was strengthened by the discovery of “mirror” neurons in the macaque monkey brain, a class of neurons found in the parietal and the premotor cortex. They were seen to discharge not only when the monkey performed an action but also when the monkey was observing an experimenter or another monkey performing the same action (di Pellegrino, Fadiga, Fogassi, Gallese, & Rizzolatti, 1992). Similarly, neuroimaging studies in humans have revealed parietal (PAR) and premotor (PM) activations both during execution and action observation, suggesting that action observation automatically...
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...Psychotherapies Analysis Donnette Morris BEH/225 03/25/2016 Graciela Pulliam In this paper I will summarize three psychotherapies the main tenants of each therapy, their effectiveness in treating psychological disorders and their strengths. The psychotherapies that will be discussed in this essay are client centered therapy, cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy. Psychotherapies are classified as either insight, action or both which describes ultimate goal of the therapy. Insight refers to the therapies goal to bring clients to a deeper understanding of their thoughts, emotions, and behavior (Coon & Mitterer, 2009). Action refers to therapies designed to bring about direct changes in troublesome thoughts, habits, feelings, or behavior, without seeking insight into their origins or meanings (Coon & Mitterer, 2009). Psychotherapies can be classified as directive, non-directive or both referring to the role of the therapist. Directive refers to the therapist providing strong guidance and advice. Non-directive refers to the therapist merely assisting clients, who are responsible for solving their own problems. Psychotherapy may involve individual counseling, group or both (Coon & Mitterer, 2009). Client centered therapy is considered part of the humanistic school of therapy. Client centered therapy is classified as nondirective based on the insights from conscious thoughts and feelings. It can involve individuals or groups. Carl Rogers believed...
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...August 8, 2011 Project Topic: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) “Putting Together the Pieces” Introduction:. The diagnosis of autism in one’s child can shatter a parent. There is a substantial amount of confusion and controversy found in all areas of the disorder, from diagnosis to treatment. Most parents who seek treatment for a child labeled with autism face many dead-ends and obstacles concerning what are best for their child. . Having a child who is autistic will be a struggle throughout both of your lives. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ADS) adversely affects a child’s communication, socialization, and behavior. It has symptoms ranging from mild cognitive, social, and behavioral deficits to more severe symptoms where children may suffer from intellectual disabilities and be nonverbal. The five subtypes of ASD are: Autistic Disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD), Rett Syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS). Because each are so broad, I narrowed down my research to Autism Disorder, a sever disorder that affects the development and function of the brain. It causes problems in such areas as social contact, emotional response, intelligence, language and speech impediments, along with ritualistic or compulsive behaviors, as well as different responses to the environment that an autistic individual may have that differ with individuals not having autism would exhibit. I will be talking generally about the...
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...Vaccines, Do They Cause Autism in Children? Michael L Eisenmenger Western Governors University Vaccines, Do They Cause Autism in Children? Vaccinations have been used for centuries to prevent the spread of some of the most dangerous diseases in humans. In 1998, a research study from Dr. Andrew Wakefield was published in the journal Lancet, suggesting common vaccinations were the cause of autism in children (Brink. 2013). That study has since been retracted by the Lancet and Dr. Wakefield has had his medical license revoked. However, the rates of vaccinations have declined because of the study and new outbreaks of diseases once considered eradicated are killing children. Research has shown that vaccines are not a cause of autism in children because the preservatives suspected of causing autism have been removed from them, research studies have shown no link between the two, the original research has been proven false, and the diagnosis of autism has changed. Ever since the debate of vaccines being a cause of autism has started, the ingredient thimersol has been one of the focus’ of study. Thimersol is a preservative that was used in vaccines until 2001. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated, “In 2001, thimersol was removed or reduced to trace amounts in all childhood vaccinations except one type of influenza vaccine, and thimersol-free alternatives are available for influenza vaccines.” (CDC, 2014) Thimersol contains the type of mercury...
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