Beyond the Autism Diagnosis: A Professional's Guide to Helping Families

After a child's autism diagnosis, how can therapists, educators, and early interventionists best support parents and caregivers? This book is filled with the first-hand parent feedback professionals need to answer this critical question. Building on their research project that captured the experiences of more than 60 families, the authors reflect on excerpts from dozens of interviews that reveal parents' needs, concerns, beliefs, and dreams. Through these candid revelations and the authors' expert commentary, professionals will increase their understanding of the parent experience so they can provide the best possible services for children and families. Readers will discover invaluable insights they'll use to

• avoid misunderstandings and communicate accurately and sensitively
• understand parents' complex emotions and perceptions
• nurture strong, respectful partnerships with parents
• conduct effective assessment and intervention
• demystify assessment results for parents
• assist families in choosing and evaluating intervention services
• help families manage the short- and long-term issues that arise when parenting a child with ASD
• increase their own awareness of the vocabulary of autism and the facts and mysteries of the disorder

Essential reading for students, new professionals, and established practitioners alike, this incisive, accessible guide gives readers something they can't get elsewhere -- a deep understanding of parents' needs and feelings, directly from over 60 families with firsthand experience.

Marion O'Brien, Ph.D., is Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). She also serves as Director of the Family Research Center at UNCG, an interdisciplinary group of researchers interested in parent-child relationships, children's development, and family functioning.

Dr. O'Brien conducts research on parenting, parent-child relationships, child care, and the relationship between parental attitudes, parental behavior, and child development. In addition to her work with families of children with autism spectrum disorders, she studies families of children with other developmental disabilities and those who are at medical risk, and adoptive and foster care families, as well as families of children who are typically developing.

Throughout her career, Dr. O'Brien has maintained a strong focus on the application of findings from research to practice and policy. She has developed and implemented intervention programs that directly benefit children and families. She organized and directed an inclusive full-day child care and early intervention program and an in-home family intervention program in which research-based knowledge of parenting practices was applied to assist families at high risk for abuse and neglect. She has written several books that translate research findings into practical guides for professionals in human services fields.

Julie Daggett, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in children and adolescents. She has a private practice in San Luis Obispo, California, Family Institute of the Central Coast that offers comprehensive psychological evaluations and outpatient therapy. She regularly incorporates home, school, and community visits into her clients' evaluations and therapy work. In addition to working privately with families, Dr. Daggett provides consultation and in-service training for many school districts in California related to psychological evaluations for autism spectrum disorders, functional assessment/analysis, positive behavior support, and ways to improve the quality of education for students. Although her primary focus is applied practice, Dr. Daggett also occasionally teaches graduate and undergraduate courses at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, on positive behavior support and child development. Since 1997, Dr. Daggett has conducted numerous social skills groups for individuals, ages 3-17 years, with autism spectrum and related disorders. These groups are individually tailored to incorporate each child's preferences, and goals are set with the children's and parents' active participation. She is also frequently contracted to help school districts develop campus-wide and/or classroom-based social skills programs that incorporate the principles behind positive behavior support. Dr. Daggett, in collaboration with The Marlo Group, is developing an educational video and manual that trains parents and professionals to maximize the number of daily hours that children with autism spectrum disorders stay actively engaged with others and their environment in a meaningful way.