Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children and Adolescents: Evidence-Based Assessment and Intervention in Schools (Division 16: Applying Psychology in the Schools)

School professionals and clinicians share the challenge of identifying and providing interventions for the increasing number of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This book is an authoritative resource that presents up-to-date research and evidence-based tools for accurate assessment and intervention. It includes procedures to help identify children using the new DSM-5 symptom criteria and offers essential guidance for assessing a variety of emotional, behavioral, and academic problems.

The book provides practitioners with an evidence-based assessment battery, which includes tests of cognitive, academic, neuropsychological, and adaptive functioning. The pragmatic, social-communicative functions of language are considered together with assessments to identify language deficits. Readers will learn to identify co-occurring emotional and behavior problems of children with ASD and will also learn techniques and strategies to enhance home-school partnership and engage parents as active partners in the decision-making process. Each chapter is based on the principles of evidence-based practice. Many chapters also use case vignettes to illustrate best practice in the school setting. The volume concludes with a primer on ASD-related litigation issues and discusses relationships between special education law, provision of services, and placement decisions.