Early Intervention for Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

This book examines early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) programs for young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It analyzes current research on early intervention (EI) and explains the importance of accurate, timely detection of ASD in facilitating the use of EI. Chapters address five widely researched EIBI approaches: Discrete Trial Training, Pivotal Response Training, the Early Start Denver Model, Prelinguistic Milieu Teaching, and Enhanced Milieu Teaching. This in-depth study of current EIBI approaches offers a rigorous guide to earlier and more intensive interventions for children with ASD, leading to greater autonomy and improved later life outcomes for individuals.
Featured topics include:

• Parent-implemented interventions and related issues.
  
• Evaluations of controversial interventions used with children with ASD.
  
• Factors contributing to rising ASD prevalence.
  
• Obstacles to obtaining accurate ASD diagnosis in young children.
  

Early Intervention for Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder is an essential resource for researchers, clinicians, and graduate students in developmental, clinical child, and school psychology, behavioral therapy/rehabilitation, social work, public health, educational policy and politics, and related psychology and behavioral health fields.

Russell Lang, PhD, BCBA-D, is an associate professor of Special Education at Texas State University and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Dr. Lang is also the Executive Director of Texas State University’s Autism Treatment Clinic. He earned a doctoral degree in Special Education with an emphasis in Autism and Developmental Disabilities from the University of Texas at Austin and completed a post-doctoral researcher position at the University of California in Santa Barbara. His primary research interests include teaching play and leisure skills, assistive technology, and the treatment of problematic behaviors in individuals with autism spectrum disorders. He is a Co-Editor-in-Chief of Developmental Neurorehabilitation and Associate Editor of the Journal of Child and Family Studies.
Terry Hancock, PhD, BCBA-D, is a professor of Clinical Practice in Special Education at Texas State University, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and a licensed psychologist. Dr. Hancock is also the Research Director at the Clinic for Autism Research, Evaluation and Support. She earned a doctoral degree in Education and Human Development with an emphasis in Early Childhood Special Education from Vanderbilt University. She has been an investigator on 12 federally funded grants related to communication and behavior interventions for young children. She was on the special education faculty at Vanderbilt University for 20 years and was the co-developer of Enhanced Milieu Teaching.
Nirbhay N. Singh, PhD, BCBA-D, is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Health Behavior at the Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, CEO of MacTavish Behavioral Health, in Raleigh, NC, and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Prior to his current appointments, he was a Professor of Psychiatry, Pediatrics and Psychology at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine and Director of the Commonwealth Institute for Child and Family Studies, Richmond, Virginia. His research interests include mindfulness, behavioral and psychopharmacological treatments of individuals with disabilities, and assistive technology for supporting individuals with diverse abilities. He is the Editor-in-Chief of two journals: Journal of Child and Family Studies and Mindfulness, and Editor of three book series: Mindfulness in Behavioral Health, Evidence-Based Practice in Behavioral Health, and Springer Series on Children and Families.