CHAPTER 1
OVERVIEW OF AUTISM
Learning Objec琀椀ves
A昀琀er reading this chapter, students should be able to:
1-1 Relate historical descrip琀椀ons of individuals with au琀椀sm to current diagnoses,
de昀椀ni琀椀ons, and treatment of the disorder.
1-2 Discuss reasons for the e昀케cacy of ABA as the theore琀椀cal basis of educa琀椀onal
programming for students with au琀椀sm.
1-3 Describe the nature of au琀椀sm and related characteris琀椀cs, including typical
behavioral excesses and behavioral de昀椀cits.
1-4 Discuss the role of biology in explaining au琀椀sm and related disorders.
1-5 Iden琀椀fy diagnos琀椀c criteria of ASD according to the DSM-5 and eligibility criteria
for au琀椀sm in IDEA 2004.
1-6 Iden琀椀fy key educa琀椀onal program considera琀椀ons based in ABA and discuss the
teacher’s role in ensuring student progress.
1-7 Iden琀椀fy challenges families experience in paren琀椀ng children with au琀椀sm and
discuss the teacher’s role in suppor琀椀ng these families.
Chapter Outline
1-1 History of Au琀椀sm
1-2 Nature of Au琀椀sm
Box 1.1 The Biology of Au琀椀sm
1-3 Characteris琀椀cs
1-3a Behavioral De昀椀cits
An Inability to Relate
Lack of Func琀椀onal Language
Cogni琀椀ve De昀椀cits
1-3b Behavioral Excesses
Self-S琀椀mula琀椀on
© 2019 Cengage. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in
part.
, Resistance to Change and Insistence on Sameness
Severe Challenging Behaviors
1-4 Diagnoses and De昀椀ni琀椀ons
1-5 Diagnos琀椀c Instruments
1-6 Program Considera琀椀ons
1-6a A Prac琀椀cal Program
Clearly Sequenced Goals
Explicit Instruc琀椀on of Skills
Behavior Management
Ecological Assessment
Curriculum Related to Postschool Adult Goals
A琀琀en琀椀on to Generaliza琀椀on
Integra琀椀on and Placement
1-6b Teacher Characteris琀椀cs
Consistency
Persistence
Flexibility
Crea琀椀vity
Organiza琀椀on
Intui琀椀ve Sensi琀椀vity
Energy
Likes Children
Well-Developed Sense of Humor
Belief in E昀케cacious Programs
Commitment
1-7 Family Issues
Summary
Key Points
References
Online Learning
Video Case: Strategies for Success for Chris琀椀an: An Elementary Student with Au琀椀sm
Spectrum Disorder
Did You Get It? Quiz
Scenario: Grades K–3 Suppor琀椀ng Brendon’s Family
Wrapping It Up Quiz
© 2019 Cengage. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in
part.
, Key Points
1. The syndrome of au琀椀sm was 昀椀rst named and described by Leo Kanner in 1943.
2. Current research supports the hypothesis that au琀椀sm is a neurological disorder
characterized by impairment in communica琀椀on and social ability and a display of
restric琀椀ve interests and repe琀椀琀椀ve behaviors. Exactly what causes the neurological
impairment has not yet been determined.
3. The symptoms associated with the au琀椀sm spectrum range from mild (the individual
requires only some support) to severe (the individual requires substan琀椀al support) (APA,
2013).
4. Behaviors associated with au琀椀sm can be divided into behavioral de昀椀cits and behavioral
excesses.
5. Techniques based in ABA are recommended, including explicit instruc琀椀on, reinforcement
techniques, environmental manipula琀椀on, and data-based instruc琀椀on.
6. Families with children with au琀椀sm have valuable perspec琀椀ves and insight. Teachers
should include family members as integral par琀椀cipants in educa琀椀onal program planning
and be prepared to provide support and training when needed.
Chapter Overview
This chapter provides students with an overview of au琀椀sm, including its history, nature,
characteris琀椀cs, diagnoses and de昀椀ni琀椀ons, diagnos琀椀c instruments, program considera琀椀ons, and
related family issues. This text’s focus is school-age students who meet the criteria for au琀椀sm
spectrum disorder (ASD) and also have intellectual disabili琀椀es (IDs) with more severe symptoms.
Students will consider current diagnoses, de昀椀ni琀椀ons, and treatment of the disorder compared
to historical descrip琀椀ons of individuals with au琀椀sm. While acknowledging that the exact e琀椀ology
is not known (though there are likely gene琀椀c links), the text focuses on au琀椀sm as a
neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairment in brain development with di昀昀erences
in brain chemistry, structure, and func琀椀on. Because au琀椀sm is a disorder with well-de昀椀ned
symptoms and because one must understand the symptomology of the disorder to understand
how to educate students, the text begins to present these characteris琀椀c symptoms.
© 2019 Cengage. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in
part.
, The three main theories that have historically explained the presence of common symptoms—
perceptual and cogni琀椀ve theory, developmental theory, and behavioral theory—are men琀椀oned.
Behavioral theory, which posits that neurological impairment leads to behavioral de昀椀cits and
behavioral excesses, indicates that e昀昀ec琀椀ve interven琀椀ons should be based in applied behavioral
analysis (ABA). Techniques throughout this text are primarily based in behavioral theory and the
e昀케cacy of ABA.
The text discusses characteris琀椀cs common to individuals with au琀椀sm and categorizes them
primarily as behavioral excesses or behavioral de昀椀cits. In addi琀椀on, diagnos琀椀c criteria are
presented, with the caveat that the current criteria are controversial for a variety of reasons.
Obstacles to learning that are common to many children with au琀椀sm are discussed, as are
prac琀椀cal program components that can help children overcome these obstacles. Included in
this discussion are characteris琀椀cs of successful teachers. Finally, the challenges faced by
families of children with au琀椀sm are addressed, along with steps educators can take to develop
suppor琀椀ve collabora琀椀ve rela琀椀onships with parents and other family members.
Discussion Ques琀椀ons
1. What do we mean when we say that “symptoms of ASD fall on a con琀椀nuum of severity”?
2. How can we understand the meaning of a child’s tantrums?
3. Do teacher characteris琀椀cs and beliefs a昀昀ect educa琀椀onal programming? Why or why
not? Give examples.
4. Discuss the rela琀椀onship between biology and au琀椀sm. Speci昀椀cally address genes and
au琀椀sm, brain impairment, and environmental contributors.
5. What does it mean that ABA assumes a direct approach to teaching as opposed to
an indirect, developmental one? As part of your answer, provide speci昀椀c examples.
6. What challenges can children with au琀椀sm face related to behavioral excesses? Behavioral
de昀椀cits?
7. How might cogni琀椀ve de昀椀cits be manifested in children with au琀椀sm?
8. Explain a mul琀椀step approach that teachers can use when engaging in explicit instruc琀椀on.
© 2019 Cengage. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in
part.
OVERVIEW OF AUTISM
Learning Objec琀椀ves
A昀琀er reading this chapter, students should be able to:
1-1 Relate historical descrip琀椀ons of individuals with au琀椀sm to current diagnoses,
de昀椀ni琀椀ons, and treatment of the disorder.
1-2 Discuss reasons for the e昀케cacy of ABA as the theore琀椀cal basis of educa琀椀onal
programming for students with au琀椀sm.
1-3 Describe the nature of au琀椀sm and related characteris琀椀cs, including typical
behavioral excesses and behavioral de昀椀cits.
1-4 Discuss the role of biology in explaining au琀椀sm and related disorders.
1-5 Iden琀椀fy diagnos琀椀c criteria of ASD according to the DSM-5 and eligibility criteria
for au琀椀sm in IDEA 2004.
1-6 Iden琀椀fy key educa琀椀onal program considera琀椀ons based in ABA and discuss the
teacher’s role in ensuring student progress.
1-7 Iden琀椀fy challenges families experience in paren琀椀ng children with au琀椀sm and
discuss the teacher’s role in suppor琀椀ng these families.
Chapter Outline
1-1 History of Au琀椀sm
1-2 Nature of Au琀椀sm
Box 1.1 The Biology of Au琀椀sm
1-3 Characteris琀椀cs
1-3a Behavioral De昀椀cits
An Inability to Relate
Lack of Func琀椀onal Language
Cogni琀椀ve De昀椀cits
1-3b Behavioral Excesses
Self-S琀椀mula琀椀on
© 2019 Cengage. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in
part.
, Resistance to Change and Insistence on Sameness
Severe Challenging Behaviors
1-4 Diagnoses and De昀椀ni琀椀ons
1-5 Diagnos琀椀c Instruments
1-6 Program Considera琀椀ons
1-6a A Prac琀椀cal Program
Clearly Sequenced Goals
Explicit Instruc琀椀on of Skills
Behavior Management
Ecological Assessment
Curriculum Related to Postschool Adult Goals
A琀琀en琀椀on to Generaliza琀椀on
Integra琀椀on and Placement
1-6b Teacher Characteris琀椀cs
Consistency
Persistence
Flexibility
Crea琀椀vity
Organiza琀椀on
Intui琀椀ve Sensi琀椀vity
Energy
Likes Children
Well-Developed Sense of Humor
Belief in E昀케cacious Programs
Commitment
1-7 Family Issues
Summary
Key Points
References
Online Learning
Video Case: Strategies for Success for Chris琀椀an: An Elementary Student with Au琀椀sm
Spectrum Disorder
Did You Get It? Quiz
Scenario: Grades K–3 Suppor琀椀ng Brendon’s Family
Wrapping It Up Quiz
© 2019 Cengage. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in
part.
, Key Points
1. The syndrome of au琀椀sm was 昀椀rst named and described by Leo Kanner in 1943.
2. Current research supports the hypothesis that au琀椀sm is a neurological disorder
characterized by impairment in communica琀椀on and social ability and a display of
restric琀椀ve interests and repe琀椀琀椀ve behaviors. Exactly what causes the neurological
impairment has not yet been determined.
3. The symptoms associated with the au琀椀sm spectrum range from mild (the individual
requires only some support) to severe (the individual requires substan琀椀al support) (APA,
2013).
4. Behaviors associated with au琀椀sm can be divided into behavioral de昀椀cits and behavioral
excesses.
5. Techniques based in ABA are recommended, including explicit instruc琀椀on, reinforcement
techniques, environmental manipula琀椀on, and data-based instruc琀椀on.
6. Families with children with au琀椀sm have valuable perspec琀椀ves and insight. Teachers
should include family members as integral par琀椀cipants in educa琀椀onal program planning
and be prepared to provide support and training when needed.
Chapter Overview
This chapter provides students with an overview of au琀椀sm, including its history, nature,
characteris琀椀cs, diagnoses and de昀椀ni琀椀ons, diagnos琀椀c instruments, program considera琀椀ons, and
related family issues. This text’s focus is school-age students who meet the criteria for au琀椀sm
spectrum disorder (ASD) and also have intellectual disabili琀椀es (IDs) with more severe symptoms.
Students will consider current diagnoses, de昀椀ni琀椀ons, and treatment of the disorder compared
to historical descrip琀椀ons of individuals with au琀椀sm. While acknowledging that the exact e琀椀ology
is not known (though there are likely gene琀椀c links), the text focuses on au琀椀sm as a
neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairment in brain development with di昀昀erences
in brain chemistry, structure, and func琀椀on. Because au琀椀sm is a disorder with well-de昀椀ned
symptoms and because one must understand the symptomology of the disorder to understand
how to educate students, the text begins to present these characteris琀椀c symptoms.
© 2019 Cengage. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in
part.
, The three main theories that have historically explained the presence of common symptoms—
perceptual and cogni琀椀ve theory, developmental theory, and behavioral theory—are men琀椀oned.
Behavioral theory, which posits that neurological impairment leads to behavioral de昀椀cits and
behavioral excesses, indicates that e昀昀ec琀椀ve interven琀椀ons should be based in applied behavioral
analysis (ABA). Techniques throughout this text are primarily based in behavioral theory and the
e昀케cacy of ABA.
The text discusses characteris琀椀cs common to individuals with au琀椀sm and categorizes them
primarily as behavioral excesses or behavioral de昀椀cits. In addi琀椀on, diagnos琀椀c criteria are
presented, with the caveat that the current criteria are controversial for a variety of reasons.
Obstacles to learning that are common to many children with au琀椀sm are discussed, as are
prac琀椀cal program components that can help children overcome these obstacles. Included in
this discussion are characteris琀椀cs of successful teachers. Finally, the challenges faced by
families of children with au琀椀sm are addressed, along with steps educators can take to develop
suppor琀椀ve collabora琀椀ve rela琀椀onships with parents and other family members.
Discussion Ques琀椀ons
1. What do we mean when we say that “symptoms of ASD fall on a con琀椀nuum of severity”?
2. How can we understand the meaning of a child’s tantrums?
3. Do teacher characteris琀椀cs and beliefs a昀昀ect educa琀椀onal programming? Why or why
not? Give examples.
4. Discuss the rela琀椀onship between biology and au琀椀sm. Speci昀椀cally address genes and
au琀椀sm, brain impairment, and environmental contributors.
5. What does it mean that ABA assumes a direct approach to teaching as opposed to
an indirect, developmental one? As part of your answer, provide speci昀椀c examples.
6. What challenges can children with au琀椀sm face related to behavioral excesses? Behavioral
de昀椀cits?
7. How might cogni琀椀ve de昀椀cits be manifested in children with au琀椀sm?
8. Explain a mul琀椀step approach that teachers can use when engaging in explicit instruc琀椀on.
© 2019 Cengage. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in
part.
