Caroline I. Magyar

Utility of the CBCL DSM-oriented scales in assessing emotional disorders in youth with autism

BACKGROUND Youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at risk for one or more emotional disorders (ED) including depressive and anxiety conditions. DSM-5 diagnostic guidelines indicate that co-occurring ED must be specified when present (APA, 2013). While ED may be evaluated for during initial diagnostic assessment, routine monitoring and screening is needed to identify emerging ED in later childhood and adolescence, a period of high risk. METHOD Confirmatory factor analysis, convergent and divergent validity analyses, criterion-related validity, and diagnostic accuracy analyses of the CBCLs Affective Problems and Anxiety Problems DSM Oriented Scales was completed on 93 well-characterized youth, ages 6 to 18 years with ASD (6:1 M:F), with and without intellectual impairment. These youth were from predominately white, middle-class backgrounds. RESULTS Each scale measured a single construct reliably (depressive and anxiety disorders), neither scale measured symptoms of ASD, and youth with a depressive disorder had other ED co-morbidities. CONCLUSIONS Findings demonstrate the DSM Oriented Affective and Anxiety Problem Scales can be used to screen for depression and anxiety in youth with ASD. Replication is needed with various subgroups representing gender, age, developmental level, autism, and mental health severity differences, and with groups across a broader set of demographics.

ASD Classroom Development System: Designing an ASD Classroom

Increase knowledge of the elements related to effective learning environments Increase knowledge of the elements of the ASD Classroom Model Increase knowledge of the components of the ASD Classroom Development System Increase knowledge of how to develop and evaluate an ASD classroom within your district

Program Evaluation in Special Education: A Framework for the ASD Program Evaluation Protocol

Increase knowledge of program evaluation models and activities Increase knowledge of the role program evaluation plays in developing an ASD program

Screening for autism spectrum disorder in children with Down syndrome: An evaluation of the Pervasive Developmental Disorder in Mental Retardation Scale

ABSTRACT Background Children with Down syndrome (DS) are at risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). They are often diagnosed later than other children in part due to difficulty differentiating ASD-related impairment from that associated with DS. The psychometric properties of the Pervasive Developmental Disorder in Mental Retardation Scale (PDD-MRS) were examined with the aim of informing ASD screening guidelines for children with DS. Method Analysis of archival data from children aged 3 to 15 years with DS (N = 386) evaluated the reliability and validity of the PDD-MRS. Results Factor analyses yielded 2 factor-based scales: ASD and Emotional and Behavioural Problems. ASD reliably assessed ASD-specific symptoms, correlated with other ASD measures, and demonstrated good diagnostic accuracy. Emotional and Behavioural Problems assessed problems not diagnostic of ASD but may reflect part of the behavioural phenotype of DS and ASD. Conclusion The PDD-MRS appears to have utility in ASD screening for this population.

Case Example: Inclusion Program Development

The case example presented here illustrates how the ASD Program Development and Evaluation Protocol (hereafter, ASD Protocol for brevity) helped a school district develop an ASD Inclusion Program for four elementary students with ASD. The chapter describes the purpose and objectives of the program development initiative and the unique contextual variables that guided the application of the ASD Protocol to inform program planning and decision-making. The chapter concludes with a discussion of how program evaluation data informed future program development activities.

Case Example: Redesigning a Specialized School

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA, 2004) compels schools to provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment (LRE). However, many school districts lack the capacity or resources to provide intensive special education programs to those students with an ASD who present with severe developmental and/or behavior disorders. Although IDEA emphasizes integration with nondisabled peers, it also recognizes that more restrictive or segregated settings represent the LRE for some students. While a segregated setting may be viewed as more therapeutic and supportive of the student’s educational and behavioral needs (e.g., low teacher-student ratio, intensive clinical supports, more specialized staff), it does not guarantee that the program is implementing evidence-based practices and affecting student achievement.

Conducting the Needs Assessment

Learn a Needs Assessment protocol specific to ASD program planning Increase understanding of how data inform program planning decisions

The ASD Family–School Collaborative Model

Increase understanding of the important role parent’s play in the educational decisions for their child Increase understanding of the Family–School Collaborative Model used in the ASD Program Model Increase understanding of the various considerations in developing and applying a Family–School Collaborative Model in your school

The ASD Program Evaluation Protocol for Continuous Program Improvement

Increase understanding of the importance of formal program evaluation for purposes of program development and continuous program improvement Increase knowledge of the ASD Program Evaluation Protocol Increase knowledge of how to apply the ASD Program Evaluation Protocol to develop an ASD program model that fits your school and sustains over time

ASD Student Support Teams: Collaborative Teaming and Problem Solving

Increase knowledge of the different student support teams in the ASD Program and Classroom Model Increase knowledge of collaborative planning and its importance in ASD programming Increase knowledge of the problem-solving paradigm and its prominent role in student program planning and achievement