Course Description
Practicum in autism diagnostic assessment and/or intervention for senior graduate students involving learning methods for conducting autism diagnostic assessments and/or providing group and/or individual therapy.
Athena Title
Autism Spectrum Disorders
Non-Traditional Format
Students are supervised in one hour of group supervision with university-based faculty per week. Individual supervision is arranged as needed. Remaining course time for an assessment- focused section spent observing or participating in diagnostic evaluations, scoring and interpreting testing results, and writing psychological reports. Remaining course time for an intervention-focused section spent observing or participating in group or individual therapy and planning or preparing for therapy.
Prerequisite
Permission of department
Pre or Corequisite
EPSY 8120
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall and spring
Grading System
S/U (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory)
Course Objectives
Students in an assessment-focused section will be able to: a. Understand the components of best-practices diagnostic psychological evaluation specific to autism spectrum and related disorders; b. Understand different diagnostic procedures for individuals from diverse individual, familial, cultural, and economic backgrounds; c. Administer and score instruments assessing cognitive, social-emotional, behavioral, psychological, and adaptive functioning to provide a differential autism diagnostic assessment; d. Synthesize the results from diagnostic testing into a comprehensive psychological report answering a differential diagnostic referral question; e. Present results from a diagnostic evaluation and recommendations to families presenting for a diagnostic evaluation. Students in an intervention-focused section will be able to: a. Understand the components of best-practice group and individual therapy specific to autism spectrum and related disorders; b. Understand different intervention practices for individuals from diverse individual, familial, cultural, and economic backgrounds; c. Develop a therapeutic plan that matches the needs of the client. d. Develop rapport and implement a therapeutic session in a group or individual context using empirically supported techniques.
Topical Outline
Topical outline for an assessment-focused section: a. Review relevant sections of the DSM 5 b. Differential diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders with an emphasis on ASD c. Conducting clinical intake interviews d. Building child and parent rapport e. Diagnostic assessment tools: Early identification screeners, questionnaires, and interviews f. Diagnostic assessment tools: Behavioral/Observation g. Autism diagnostic observation schedule (ADOS) h. Assessing cognition in individuals with developmental delays, with and without language i. Administering interview-based assessments of adaptive functioning j. Screening for language delays k. Cross-cultural variability in diagnostic assessment procedures l. Interpreting results from a multi-method assessment m. Methods for writing a report presenting results of a diagnostic evaluation n. Strategies for presenting results of diagnostic evaluations to families Topical outline for an intervention-focused section: a. Review relevant therapy manuals and therapeutic approaches b. Conducting a needs assessment c. Matching therapeutic strategies with identified therapy goals d. Building client rapport e. Implementing a range of therapeutic strategies f. Assess client progress with goals g. Cross-cultural variability in response to treatment h. Methods for leading a structure therapy session i. Writing comprehensive therapy notes
Syllabus
Public CV