PSY 2012 Lecture Notes - Lecture 34: Autism Spectrum, Joint Attention, Fidgeting
Document Summary
Communication deficits: children with asd evidence early language disturbances, echolalia: immediate or delayed repeating of what was heard, pronoun reversal: refer to themselves as he or she , literal use of words. Repetitive and ritualistic acts: become extremely upset when routine is altered, engage in obsessional play, engage in ritualistic body movements, become attached to inanimate objects (e. g. keys, rocks) Excessive levels of activity: fidgeting, squirming, running around when inappropriate, incessant talking. Distractability and difficulty concentrating: makes careless mistakes, cannot follow instructions forgetful. Congress creates national adhd awareness day: first observed september 7, 2004. Improve goal-directed behavior and concentration: reduce aggression, side effects, loss of appetite, weight, sleep problems. Medication plush behavioral treatment (mta study: slightly better than meds alone. Improved social skills whereas meds alone did not: three-year follow-up found superior benefits of meds did not persist. Psychological treatment: parental training, change in classroom management, behavior monitoring and reinforcement of appropriate behavior. Immediate feedback: task-focused style, breaks for excessive.
