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2005
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2005
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About the author (2006)

After her son's recovery from autism, Karen Siff Exkorn made it her mission to reach out as a
consultant to other families living with autism. With a B.A. from Brown University and an M.A.
from New York University, she is a frequent lecturer at universities and autism organizations
around the world. Karen has appeared on ABC's Good Morning America, Nightline, and an
international media tour. She and her husband recently established the Siff Exkorn Family
Foundation, which provides funding for research and treatment of autism. The author donates a
percentage of the proceeds from book sales to autism organizations worldwide. She lives in
Rockland County, New York, with her husband and son.

Bibliographic information

The Autism Sourcebook: Everything You Need to Know About Diagnosis, Treatment,
Title
Coping, and Healing--from a Mother Whose Child Recovered
Author Karen Siff Exkorn
Edition reprint
Publisher HarperCollins, 2006
ISBN 006085975X, 9780060859756
Length 432 pages
 Autism in children
Autism in children - Diagnosis
Autism in children - Treatment
Autism in children/ Diagnosis
Autism in children/ Popular works
Autism in children/ Treatment
Autistic children
Subjects
Autistic children - Family relationships
Biography & Autobiography / Medical
Family & Relationships / Children with Special Needs
Health & Fitness / Diseases / Nervous System (incl. Brain)
Medical / Neurology
Psychology / Psychopathology / Autism
Psychology / Psychopathology / Autism Spectrum Disorders

Increasing social responsiveness in a child with autism

A comparison of music and non-music interventions

1. Emily Finnigan
1. University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada, efinnigan@wnmusictherapy.com
1. Elizabeth Starr
1. University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada

Abstract

This study sought to determine the effects of using music and non-music interventions on the
social responsive and avoidant behaviours of a preschool child with autism. A single-subject
alternating treatment design was used in which two interventions were presented in a similar
fashion except for the addition of music during the music condition. Four phases took place:
baseline (Phase A), alternating treatments (Phase B), a second treatment phase (Phase C) using
the condition that proved to be more effective in Phase B, and follow-up (Phase D). Data were
collected over a total of 12 treatment sessions for various social responsive and avoidant
behaviours. Results indicated that the music intervention was more effective than the non-music
intervention in increasing all three social responsive behaviours in both Phases B and C.
Furthermore, no avoidant behaviours were observed during the music condition. It is suggested
that the music condition was more motivating for the participant than the non-music condition,
resulting in more social responsive behaviours.
Explaining autism
Ten reasons to focus on the developing self

1. R. Peter Hobson
1. Tavistock Clinic and Behavioural and Brain Sciences Unit, Institute of Child
Health, University College London, r.hobson@ucl.ac.uk

Abstract

My aim in this paper is to present reasons for adopting a focus on the development of self/other-
awareness when characterizing the developmental psychopathology of autism. The strengths of
such a position include an emphasis on children’s emotional relations with embodied persons as
foundational for their growing understanding of minds. I give special attention to the process of
identifying with the attitudes of others, and experience of other-person-centred emotions, for the
development of communication and thinking. The study of limitations in these aspects of self-
other relatedness among individuals with autism is pivotal for understanding the pathogenesis of
the syndrome.

Emotional, motivational and interpersonal responsiveness

of children with autism in improvisational music
therapy

1. Jinah Kim
1. Jeonju University, Korea, jinahkim@jj.ac.kr
1. Tony Wigram
1. Aalborg University, Denmark
1. Christian Gold
1. Unifob Health, Bergen, Norway

Abstract

Through behavioural analysis, this study investigated the social-motivational aspects of musical
interaction between the child and the therapist in improvisational music therapy by measuring
emotional, motivational and interpersonal responsiveness in children with autism during joint
engagement episodes. The randomized controlled study (n = 10) employed a single subject
comparison design in two different conditions, improvisational music therapy and toy play
sessions, and DVD analysis of sessions. Improvisational music therapy produced markedly more
and longer events of `joy', `emotional synchronicity' and `initiation of engagement' behaviours in
the children than toy play sessions. In response to the therapist's interpersonal demands,
`compliant (positive) responses' were observed more in music therapy than in toy play sessions,
and `no responses' were twice as frequent in toy play sessions as in music therapy. The results of
this exploratory study found significant evidence supporting the value of music therapy in
promoting social, emotional and motivational development in children with autism.

Assessing progress during treatment for young children

with autism receiving intensive behavioural
interventions

1. Diane Hayward
1. UK Young Autism Project, UK
1. Svein Eikeseth
1. Akershus University College, Norway, eikeseth@nova autism.com
1. Catherine Gale
1. UK Young Autism Project, UK
1. Sally Morgan
1. UK Young Autism Project, UK

Abstract

This study examined progress after 1 year of treatment for children with autism who received a
mean of 36 hours per week one-to-one University of California at Los Angeles Applied Behavior
Analysis (UCLA ABA) treatment. Two types of service provision were compared: an intensive
clinic based treatment model with all treatment personnel (N = 23), and an intensive parent
managed treatment model with intensive supervision only (N = 21). A non-concurrent multiple
baseline design across participants (N = 13) examined whether progress was associated with
ABA treatment or confounders. Between intake and follow-up, children in both groups improved
significantly on IQ, visual-spatial IQ, language comprehension, expressive language, social
skills, motor skills and adaptive behaviour. There were no significant differences between the
two groups on any of the measures at follow-up. Mean IQ for participants in both groups
increased by 16 points between intake and follow-up. These findings are consistent with previous
studies demonstrating the benefits of ABA treatment.