College of Natural and Health Sciences

part 1. Clinical aspects relating to the assessment and treatment of autism spectrum conditions and co-morbid mental health problems -- part 2. Service development and transition in the context of current legislation and policy -- part 3. Issues of diversity and personal experiences -- part 4. Communication and teaching new skills -- part 5. Offending, risk and research.

Based on his current knowledge of evidence-based assessments and treatments, author V. Mark Durand breaks down the types of specialised assistance to which a clinician might refer someone. Durand refers to two cases throughout the discussion of diagnostic criteria, etiology, comorbid conditions, screening and assessment, treatment, and treating the needs of family members, bringing to life these disorders and appropriate approaches to assessment and treatment.

This new edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5#65533;), used by clinicians and researchers to diagnose and classify mental disorders, is the product of more than 10 years of effort by hundreds of international experts in all aspects of mental health. Their dedication and hard work have yielded an authoritative volume that defines and classifies mental disorders in order to improve diagnoses, treatment, and research. The criteria are concise and explicit, intended to facilitate an objective assessment of symptom presentations in a variety of clinical settings -- inpatient, outpatient, partial hospital, consultation-liaison, clinical, private practice, and primary care. New features and enhancements make DSM-5#65533; easier to use across all settings: * The chapter organization reflects a lifespan approach, with disorders typically diagnosed in childhood (such as neurodevelopmental disorders) at the beginning of the manual, and those more typical of older adults (such as neurocognitive disorders) placed at the end. Also included are age-related factors specific to diagnosis. * The latest findings in neuroimaging and genetics have been integrated into each disorder along with gender and cultural considerations.* The revised organizational structure recognizes symptoms that span multiple diagnostic categories, providing new clinical insight in diagnosis. * Specific criteria have been streamlined, consolidated, or clarified to be consistent with clinical practice (including the consolidation of autism disorder, Asperger's syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder into autism spectrum disorder; the streamlined classification of bipolar and depressive disorders; the restructuring of substance use disorders for consistency and clarity; and the enhanced specificity for major and mild neurocognitive disorders).* Dimensional assessments for research and validation of clinical results have been provided.* Both ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM codes are included for each disorder, and the organizational structure is consistent with the new ICD-11 in development. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, is the most comprehensive, current, and critical resource for clinical practice available to today's mental health clinicians and researchers of all orientations. The information contained in the manual is also valuable to other physicians and health professionals, including psychologists, counselors, nurses, and occupational and rehabilitation therapists, as well as social workers and forensic and legal specialists.

A new way of thinking about treatment planning to support children with autism spectrum disorders Grounded in solid theory, Treatment Planning for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Individualized, Problem-Solving Approachhelps educators and therapists who work with children with autism spectrum disorders make sense of this confusing, often conflicting, and rapidly evolving clinical and research treatment landscape. Rooted in evidence-based practices, Chedd and Levine provide a 7-step dynamic treatment planning process. The book shows how a variety of current interventions and treatments can be incorporated into this process and includes applications of different approaches for tackling different problems. The nine illustrative case vignettes cover a wide variety of ages, developmental challenges, learning and social profiles, and school and family circumstances. With a firm commitment to and focus on the child s best interests as well as family needs and preferences, Treatment Planning for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders offers professionals new possibilities for enhancing the quality of life for children with ASDs.

This book explores an understudied area of language development in autism - namely, how children with autism learn the meaning of verbs. The key feature is a profile of verb acquisition in autism derived from qualitative analysis of the conversational language of ten children with autism. Douglas examines whether this profile is typical or atypical compared with verb learning in neurotypical children. Verb use is central to linguistic development, and the ability of children with autism to develop and use verb categories is of interest, because verbs also encode information about the number and type of participants and the temporal location of the activity/event. Moreover, the acquisition of verb meanings is often dependent on other cognitive skills, such as the recognition that human beings have beliefs and desires which motivate their actions. All these are areas which are widely considered problematic for children with autism and continue to generate much discussion among researchers and clinicians. This investigation is among the first studies of its type, offering new insights into the process of language acquisition in autism.