Blended Autism Intervention: Brain, Behavior and Genetics

Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI) enables about half of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders to function similarly to same age peers by the time they enter school after one to three years of intervention. The other half of these children exhibit less marked improvements and usually require more special education support. Contrary to the common claim that all children require 30 plus hours per week of Discrete Trial Intervention for several years, many children profit from less intensive Incidental Teaching approaches for 18 months or less, followed by integrated classroom intervention such as Blended Intervention. 

Dr. Travis Thompson will discuss the neurogenetic basis for the effectiveness of EIBI and the presence of autism subtypes that are differentially sensitive to experience- based synaptogenesis, as well as others that are much less responsive. This suggests underlying genetic and brain differences between the two broad subtypes which may account for these differential outcomes. Implications for individualizing behavioral intervention based on subtypes and strategies for doing so will also be examined. Thompson is a professor in the Department of Special Education at the University of Minnesota and became a visiting professor in the Department of Psychology at ASU in 2016.

This is a BACB approved CEU event that is open to non-CEU attendees as space allows.