Background: Traditional treatment for the behavioural symptoms in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remains unsatisfactory. There is an urgent need for new, biologically relevant therapies that target both the core and comorbid symptoms that children may experience. This article builds on research previously published by the authors. Method: We…

The complex interaction between anxiety and autism has led to debate about the presentation of anxiety in individuals on the spectrum and questions about the extent to which traditional checklists assess the entire range of symptomatology. Moreover, studies to date have not explored how the presentation of anxiety may differ between settings.…

Aim: This is a cross-national study with the aim to explore the development of children with autism over time in the UK and Greece. The focus of the study was to investigate the differences in language and social skills between children with autism across the two countries who were receiving different types of treatment: speech and language…

Despite the global presence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a paucity of treatment services exists in Tanzania and other low- and middle-income countries. The effect of delayed or low-quality treatments is enduring and contributes to lifelong variability in ASD-related functional impairments. Service disparities in Tanzania derive in part from…

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a theatrical play programme on social skills development for young children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Six children with ASD were selected by purposive sampling (M=10.6 years), and their typically developing peers (N=132) (M=10.3 years), attending general primary schools in Greece…

Previous research has demonstrated that the way adults interact with children with autism can have a great impact on their spontaneous communication. However, to date, few studies have focused on modifying adults' behaviour and even fewer have been conducted in school settings which actively involve teaching staff in designing the intervention.…

Equine-assisted activities and therapies are increasing in popularity for treatment of ASD symptoms. This research evaluated effects of a 5-week programme of therapeutic riding on social functioning of children/adolescents (N = 15) with ASD. The effectiveness of the programme was evaluated using the autism spectrum quotient, the Vineland Adaptive…

Introduction: The use of horses in therapy has a fairly long history. There are many references to the therapeutic benefits of this activity. Such therapies have been undergoing a boom internationally in recent years. However scientific research into the effective use of this activity in children with autism is still in the early stages of…

Interventions that are based on scientific principles of applied behaviour analysis (ABA) are recognised as effective treatments for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by many governments and professionals (Office of the Surgeon General, 2000; Ontario IBI Initiative, 2002). However, many still view ABA as one of many treatments for…

We are delighted to welcome you to the International Psychological Applications Conference and Trends (InPACT) 2015, taking place in Ljubljana, Slovenia, from 2 to 4 of May. Psychology, nowadays, offers a large range of scientific fields where it can be applied. The goal of understanding individuals and groups (mental functions and behavioral…

The objective of this preliminary study was to evaluate a novel intensive therapy program in young children with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD). Twenty-three children treated at the Mifne Institute in Israel between 1997 and 1999 were assessed. Videos taken before coming to Mifne and after intensive treatment at the institute and before…

Intensive Interaction was introduced to a special developmental school in Melbourne, Australia. The school had previously used behavioural and skills-based teaching approaches to underpin the teaching of students with severe/profound intellectual disabilities and autistic spectrum disorders. Video baselines of students involved in classroom…

Background: Difficulties with social interaction and understanding lie at the heart of the communication disorder that characterises the autism spectrum. This study sought to improve social communication for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by means of a groupwork intervention focusing on social and emotional perspective-taking,…