60th Annual Meeting

October 19 - 27, 2013

Institute 9 (ticket)

Autism: Assessment and Management of Serious Behavioral Disturbance

Serious behavioral disturbance in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), such as physical aggression and self-injurious behavior, is a significant cause of morbidity and carries a cost to society. This presents a major challenge for practitioners, families, and health care systems. Clinical trials have focused upon the use of atypical antipsychotics, but typically only up to 50% of these samples are responsive to psychopharmacology. Improved outcomes may be achieved with multi-disciplinary treatments, combining behavioral, psychological, pharmacologic, and communicative approaches. This Institute presents the most recent research findings of psychopharmacology trials and behavioral treatment trials.  It increases participants’ knowledge of multi-modal approaches to the assessment and treatment of serious behavioral disturbance in ASD; treatments that offer the potential for improved treatment outcomes.