|
| What treatments Work for Autism? The National Standards Project |
| Friday, May 28, 2010 |
| 6:00 PM–9:00 PM |
| Crockett A/B (Grand Hyatt) |
| Area: AUT/DDA; Domain: Service Delivery |
| CE Instructor: Kate Kellum, Ph.D. |
| SUSAN WILCZYNSKI (National Autism Center) |
| Description: This workshop is important because it describes the results of the National Standards Project, a comprehensive systematic review of the autism treatment literature. The National Standards Project involved a review of 775 studies and resulted in a report that identified the strength of scientific evidence currently available for a broad range of educational and behavioral treatments. Further details are provided about the extent to which favorable outcomes are reported based on the age of research participants, the diagnostic group to which they belong, and the treatment targets (e.g., communication, problem behaviors, play, etc.).
Overall, the vast majority of interventions that were established as effective in the treatment of autism spectrum disorders came from the behavioral literature. This workshop also describes the limitations of our knowledge and future directions required by the research community. Finally, the process of evidence-based practice is described and the role of research findings in this process is emphasized. The overall message of the workshop is that we have identified effective treatments, but more research will be necessary. |
| Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the workshop the participants will be able to do the following:
1. identify effective treatments for autism spectrum disorders;
2. describe the process of evidence-based practice;
3. list areas that require further empirical investigation in the treatment of autism spectrum disorders. |
| Activities: Workshop attendees will participate in this workshop in several ways. First, there will be a didactic component of the workshop. Second, attendees will actively generate lists of treatments that they believe have strong evidence of effectiveness, limited evidence of effectiveness, and no evidence of effectiveness. Third, participants will be asked to participate in small and large group discussions about the future directions of autism treatment research based on the findings of the National Standards Project. |
| Audience: Professionals providing direct or indirect services to individuals on the autism spectrum should consider this workshop. Interested participants will desire detailed information about effective treatments as well as interventions with limited or no research support. |
| Content Area: Practice |
| Instruction Level: Intermediate |