Category Archives: Autism Videos at ACT

Practical Ways to Decrease Challenging Behaviors in School, Home and Community Settings

Filmed at ACT’s Setting the Stage for Success: Positive Behavior Support in School, Home and Community– October 19, 2018

Part of a video learning stream on Positive Behavior Support.

Dr. Lynn Kern Koegel, respected internationally for her research and clinical practice, discusses various intervention procedures for decreasing challenging behaviors. The emphasis is on Positive Behavior Support procedures that are coordinated, multi-component, and systematically implemented throughout the day. Dr. Kern Koegel also provides many example of how challenging behaviors can be avoided in the first place. This presentation will appeal to both professionals and families for its reliance on important research as well as respect for individuals with autism and challenging behaviors.

Lynn Kern Koegel, PhD, CCC-SLP, Clinical Professor, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, California

Dr. Kern Koegel has been active in the development of programs to improve communication in children with autism for over 40 years. In addition to her published books and articles in the area of communication and language development, she has developed and published procedures and field manuals in the area of self-management and functional analysis that are used in school districts and by parents throughout the United States, as well as translated to other major languages.

Dr. Lynn Kern Koegel is the co-author of “Overcoming Autism: Finding the Answers, Strategies, and Hope That Can Transform a Child’s Life ” and “Growing Up on the Spectrum: A Guide to Life, Love, and Learning for Teens and Young Adults with Autism and Asperger’s”, published by Viking/Penguin. Dr, Kern Koegel and her husband, Robert Koegel, are the developers of Pivotal Response Treatment, which focuses on motivation. The Koegels have been the recipients of many awards, including the first annual Children’s Television Workshop Sesame Street Award for “Brightening the Lives of Children”, the first annual Autism Speaks award for “Science and Research” and the International ABA award for “enduring programmatic contributions in behavior analysis.”

 

Part 1: Introduction to PBS for Challenging Behavior

Part 2: Functional Behavior Assessments, Assessing the Curriculum

Part 3: Developing Meaningful Activities, Priming

Part 4: Re-Direction, Giving warning, Using Strengths, Physical Exercise, Systematic Desensitization, Coordination Across Environments, Parent Education

Part 5: Summary and Q&A

Setting Priorities for Future Research – A Panel Discussion

Panel presentation introduced and moderated by Dr. Anthony Bailey Chair of Adolescent and Child Psychiatry, University of British Columbia

Filmed at ACT’s 14th Annual Focus on Research Conference – April 4, 2018

Part 1: Introduction & Carly Erikson

Carly Eirikson – Provincial Outreach Program for Autism and Related Disorders (POPARD), B.C.

Carly Eirikson currently works as an Education and Behaviour Consultant for POPARD and as an instructor for the Richmond Educational Assistant Program. She completed a M.Ed. in Autism and Developmental Disorders from the University of British Columbia and has worked as a Resource Teacher and an elementary classroom teacher.

Part 2: Dr. Rene Jamison

Dr. Rene Jamison – University of Kansas, USA

Dr. Rene Jamison is an Associate Professor and licensed psychologist in pediatrics at the Center for Child Health and Development (CCHD), University of Kansas Medical Center.

Part 3: Vivian Ly

Vivian Ly – Autistics United Canada

Vivian Ly is an autistic self-advocate and the Executive Director of Autistics United Canada (formerly Canadian Autistics United), a grassroots disability rights organization that “works to improve the lives of autistic people. Vivian is currently a Behavioural Neuroscience student at SFU and a strong proponent of “Nothing about us, without us!”

Part 4: Stephany Berinstein

Stephany Berinstein – Occupational Therapist, Gastown Vocational Services, B.C.

StephanyBernstein is an Occupational Therapist and the Program Coordinator for Gastown Vocational Services, The Art Studios, and consults with SpectrumWorks. Stephany specializes in mental health and vocational rehabilitation. She leads a vocational rehabilitation program, using best practices to support mental wellness and meaningful, sustainable employment.

Part 5: Dr. Grace Iarocci

Dr. Grace Iarocci – Simon Fraser University, B.C.

Grace Iarocci, PhD., R. Psych. is a Professor of Psychology at Simon Fraser University, and Director of the Autism and Developmental Disorders Lab. She is a Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar.

Part 6: Dr. William Mandy

Dr. William Mandy – University College London, UK

Dr. William Mandy is a clinical psychologist and senior lecturer at University College London (UCL). His work aims to improve the recognition of autism, and to develop new interventions to help autistic people.

Part 7: Q&A

 

  1. Did friendships persist in the GNO program between girls in the program? (00:13 – 02:01)
  2. How can we improve the transition for teens and young adults who age out of the system, and may need community services and supports, and may need their parents involved? Are there research priorities that could help with this problem? (02:01 – 08:13)
  3. How should we as parents respond to professionals who question our daughters ASD diagnosis? (08:15 – 10:00)
  4. Who’s responsibility is it to educate professionals about autism? (10:00 – 15:40)
  5. Summing up Focus on Research 2018: Women and Girls with Autism – Anthony Bailey (15:40 – 21:50)

Sex Matters: The secondary impact of low prevalence for girls and women with autism

Filmed at ACT’s 14th Annual Focus on Research Conference – April 4, 2018

Dr. Jamison established Girls Night Out (GNO) in 2008 to provide socially valid and meaningful interventions designed specifically for females with autism and related developmental disabilities. Details of the program can be found here Girls Night Out: Lessons learned from a unique intervention for girls with autism. 

This second part of the keynote presentation focuses on research on the possible secondary impact on females with autism because of the discrepancy in rates of diagnosis between males and females. The concern is that missing females with autism is  exacerbating social-communication impairments and increasing risk for co-occurring mental health conditions.

Dr. Rene Jamison and Dr. Jessica Oeth Schuttler, Center for Child Health and Development (CCHD), University of Kansas Medical Center

Dr. Rene Jamison is an Associate Professor and licensed psychologist in pediatrics at the Center for Child Health and Development (CCHD), University of Kansas Medical Center. Her primary research focus is females with autism, identifying factors that contribute to social competence across development, and interventions to improve social-emotional health.

Dr. Jessica Oeth Schuttler is a licensed psychologist and clinical assistant professor also at the CCHD. She is the associate director for the Girls Night Out Program and key collaborator on related research projects, community partnership, and training efforts to create more inclusive communities.

Part 1: Introduction, Implications, Experiences of girls in the program

Part 2: Exploring the Social Profile of Females with Autism

Part 3: Cumulative Impact Across the Lifespan

Part 4: Sustaining & Expanding Ongoing Access

Part 5: Training & Dissemination of Best Practices

Part 6: Q&A

  1. How does your program work for girls that require a lot of support or are non-speaking? How do you make it as inclusive as you can when there’s such a wide range of needs across the spectrum? (Start-5:28)
  2. What would this program look like for younger girls aged 5-10 years old? (5:34-7:28)
  3. What interventions or methodlogies does GNO provide for the home environment? (7:28  -10:08)
  4. Has there been any thought about coming up with a weekend or week where social skills can be learned through cooking and other skill-building activities?(10:08- 11:54)
  5. How do you recruit neurotypical peers? Do you expect them to have previous knowledge of ASD? (11:55-15:43)

Girls Night Out: Lessons learned from a unique intervention for girls with autism

Filmed at ACT’s 14th Annual Focus on Research Conference – April 4, 2018

This presentation is followed by Sex Matters: The secondary impact of low prevalence for girls and women with autism.

Dr. Jamison established Girls Night Out (GNO) in 2008 to provide socially valid and meaningful interventions designed specifically for females with autism and related developmental disabilities. It is a positive and practical approach to giving girls with autism the opportunity to engage socially in a supportive environment.

In this presentation, Dr. Jamison and Dr. Oeth Schuttler explain the development of GNO. Special emphasis is placed on the importance of embedding the program within the community and during activities that social or self-care care skills would naturally occur. The role of trained peer volunteers in ensuring authentic opportunities for successful practice within realistic social settings is explained.

The second part of this keynote presentation, Sex Matters: The secondary impact of low prevalence for girls and women with autism, focuses on research examining the possible secondary impact on females with autism, of the discrepancy in rates of diagnosis between males and females. The concern is that missing females with autism is  exacerbating social-communication impairments and increasing risk for co-occurring mental health conditions.

Dr. Rene Jamison and Dr. Jessica Oeth Schuttler, Center for Child Health and Development (CCHD), University of Kansas Medical Center

Dr. Rene Jamison is an Associate Professor and licensed psychologist in pediatrics at the Center for Child Health and Development (CCHD), University of Kansas Medical Center. Her primary research focus is females with autism, identifying factors that contribute to social competence across development, and interventions to improve social-emotional health.

Dr. Jessica Oeth Schuttler is a licensed psychologist and clinical assistant professor also at the CCHD. She is the associate director for the Girls Night Out Program and key collaborator on related research projects, community partnership, and training efforts to create more inclusive communities.

Part 1: Introduction to Girls Night Out

Part 2: Sex Differences in ASD: Highlights and Implications

Part 3: What Makes GNO Unique?

Part 4: GNO Session Model

Part 5: Promoting Independence in Self-Care Skills

Part 6: Program Outcomes

Part 7: Q&A

 

  1. Could the girls set the agenda for activities they want to do? (00:00-00:40)
  2. Do you have any programs for people over 30? (00:40-01:40)
  3. What does the cost look like for participants and organizers in your program? Does it qualify for funding? (01:41-04:22)

Special Challenges Faced by Mothers with ASD

Filmed at ACT’s 14th Annual Focus on Research Conference – April 4, 2018

This panel presentation and discussion provides a rare opportunity to better understand the perspective of autistic mothers who also have children with autism. These three mothers were each diagnosed as adults, after their children were diagnosed.

This presentation is introduced and moderated by Dr. Grace Iarocci, Professor of Psychology and Director of the Autism and Developmental Disorders Lab at Simon Fraser University. In addition, Julia Rose, a Child and Youth with Diverse Needs consultant, explains some of the resources available to families bringing up children with autism in British Columbia.

About the Panelists

Jennifer Branston is the mother of two children, a 24-year-old daughter and a 9-year-old son whom, until recently, she home-schooled. Jennifer received a diagnosis of ASD less than two years after her son was diagnosed.

Kristy Tremblay discovered information about women on the spectrum when she was researching strategies to help support her son who had received a diagnosis. Ms. Tremblay was diagnosed in 2016. She lives in tkemlups (Kamloops), on unceded Secwepemc territory.

Pam Palmer is a mother of four children, two of whom have a diagnosis of autism. She also received a formal diagnosis of autism after her children were diagnosed.

Julia Rose is a Children and Youth with Diverse Needs Consultant for Vancouver Island, with the B.C. Ministry of Children and Family Development. She has been in her position for the past 11 years and has prior experience in autism policy and front line social work. The role also involves advising the ministry’s provincial office; the autism funding branch, policy, practice and operations.

Part 1: Introduction by Dr. Grace Iarocci

Part 2: Jennifer Branston

Part 3: Kristy Tremblay

Part 4: Pam Palmer

Part 5: Julia Rose

Part 6: Question & Answer period

  • 01:30 – 03:39 : What can social and peer groups for children with autism do to help parents with autism enjoy those groups? 
  • 03:40 – 04:55: As a mother, have  you felt like you were treated differently because of your autism? 
  • 04:57 – 08:35: Did you find that your autistic characteristics came out more after having a child?   
  • 08:35 – 11:50 :  Where did you seek ASD diagnosis for yourself and what did that process look like?

 

The Experience of Women with ASD – A Panel Presentation by Women with ASD

Filmed at ACT’s 14th Annual Focus on Research Conference – April 4, 2018

This panel was considered a highlight of our 2018 conference. This is your opportunity to learn from the fascinating insights provided by these four remarkable autistic women. Introduced and moderated by Dr. Rene Jamison, University of Kansas Medical Center.

 

About the Panelists

Ryann Calkins is in the process of finishing her degree at UBC Okanagan studying languages. She grew up on a cattle ranch in central Alberta, moving to BC in her mid-teens. She has worked as a lifeguard and swimming instructor for six years.

Iris Gray was diagnosed with ASD in 2005. She organizes two peer support groups for autistic adults in Victoria. One of them is specifically for autistic women. Ms Gray works as a freelance transcriber and editor.

Vivian Ly is an autistic self-advocate and the Executive Director of Autistics United Canada (formerly Canadian Autistics United), a grassroots disability rights organization that “works to improve the lives of autistic people in what is colonially known as Canada through self-advocacy”. Vivian is currently a Behavioural Neuroscience student at SFU and a strong proponent of “Nothing about us, without us!””

Nicole Provost is a 23 year old physics student from Abbotsford, BC and is the founder of the ‘Mayday Club Youth Choir’ – most members are teens on the autism spectrum. In addition, Nicole tutors students in pre-calculus, teaches competitive tap dancing and does voice acting. After graduating university, Nicole hopes to attend medical school, and become a paediatric oncologist.

Part 1: Introduction by Dr. Rene Jamison

Part 2: Iris Gray

Part 3: Nicole Provost

Part 4: Vivian Ly

Part 5: Ryann Calkins

Part 6: Question & Answer period

  • Q1:  Can you share stories or strategies about how to find young autistic girls find autistic pride? (00:00 –  05:40)
  • Q2: You’ve all been through the public school system. If you had one thing to say to teachers or the people who have taught you, what would that be? What’s the one thing that they could do to make it better for you? (05:40 –  10:23)
  • Q3: What do you consider respectful and ethical research practice? (10:23 – 14:22)
  • Q4: How do you deal with ableism? (14:22 – 16:20)
  • Q5: How do you feel you would have done in an alternative environment like home-schooling or schools that matched your learning style? Do you have advice for parents making decisions about where to send their children? (16:20 – 21:05)
  • Q6: Are any of the panelists in relationships with autistic folks, and if so, how do you balance your needs with the needs of your partner? (21:05 – 23:49)
    Mentions realsocialskills.org

 

Understanding mental health problems and ASD – evidence-based case conceptualization to inform treatment planning

From the workshop Applications of CBT to Address Emotional Functioning in Youth with ASD

Jonathan Weiss, PhD, CPsych

Filmed July 24th, 2017

This presentation is part of a free training series developed for mental health clinicians experienced in CBT with an interest in adaptations relevant to neurodevelopmental disabilities (e.g., autism, ADHD, learning disability).

Learning Objectives:
  • Recognize common emotional and behavioual problems associated with ASD
  • Differentiate mental health problems from ASD symptoms
  • Conceptualize common case frameworks that can inform CBT planning
  • Consider ethical issues in working with individuals with ASD using a CBT framework – including a panel discussion

About the Presenter

Weiss_photoDr. Weiss holds the Canadian Institute of Health Research Chair in Autism Spectrum Disorders Treatment and Care Research. He is a Clinical Psychologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at York University in Toronto.

Dr. Weiss’ research focuses on the prevention and treatment of mental health problems in people with ASD and/or intellectual disabilities across the lifespan. He is interested in their health service needs, their emergency service use, and their experiences of psychiatric crisis. Among other research areas, Dr. Weiss is interested in cognitive-behavioural and social skill interventions to promote resilience and improve the mental health of children and adults with developmental disabilities.

Watch Dr. Weiss speak on Thriving in Youth in ASD: What Does it Take? from October 2015.

Session 1

1.1: Case Conceptualization

  • What are ‘mental health problems’ in the context of ASD?
  • Four generic case formulation components

1.2: Dr. Weiss’ cognitive behaviour orientation

  • Dr. Weiss discusses his cognitive behaviour orientation and approaches.

1.3: The 4 P’s

  • The 4 P’s in case conceptualization:
    • Predisposing: those factors that render an individual vulnerable to a disorder
    • Precipitating: stressors or developmental factors that are associated with the emergence or worsening of symptoms
    • Perpetuating: factors that maintain the disabling symptoms
    • Protective: strengths & assets that may be accessed to promote more healthy adjustment and diminish the severity of symptoms

1.4: Mental health problems in youth with ASD

  • Autism in Canada and B.C.
  • Relevant conceptualizations: Transactions (Wood & Gadow, 2010)

1.5: Interventions

Session 2

2.1: A Social Cognitive Deficit

    • Maladaptive processing of self and about non-social environment
    • Relevant conceptualizations: Information processing focus (Guas, 2007)

2.2: Mental health assessment decision tree

  • Anxiety:
    • Separation anxiety
    • Specific phobias and the five common types

2.3: Diagnostic overshadowing, baseline exaggeration, cognitive disintegration and differentiating mental health

  • Anxiety overview
  • Anxiety In the general population

2.4: Anxiety

  • Behavioral strategies

2.5: Separation anxiety

2.6: Specific phobias and the five common types

Session 3

3.1: Social anxiety disorder

3.2: Panic disorder & Agoraphobia

  • Text here

3.3: Generalized anxiety disorder

3.4: Obsessive compulsive disorder

3.5: Measuring anxiety and OCD

  • Screening tools
  • Functional assessment
  • Dealing with multiple issues
  • Emotion regulation skills

3.6: A transdiagnostic issue of emotion regulation – Part 1

  • Gross & Thompson’s (2004) process model of emotion regulation
    1. Situation selection: The control we exert over the situations we choose to go into
    2. Situation modification: Altering situations to address emotional responses

3.7: A transdiagnostic issue of emotion regulation – Part 2

  • Gross & Thompson’s (2004) process model of emotion regulation
    3. Attentional deployment: How we choose to focus or distance our attention on the emotional aspects of a situation
    4. Cognitive control: Our thoughts about the situation and ability to handle it
    5. Response modulation: Physiological and behavioural ways of regulating emotion once the emotion is felt

Session 4: Panel discussion

4.1: Dr. Kelly Price, Sr. Youth Mental Health Consultant, Child and Youth Mental Health Policy, British Columbia Ministry of Children and Family Development

4.2: Dr. Georgina Robinson, Principal, Provincial Outreach Program for Autism and Related Disorders, a service of the British Columbia Ministry of Education

4.3: Dr. Grace Iarocci, Professor, Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University

4.4: Q&A

Implementing Modified CBT in a Group Format to Treat Anxiety in Children with ASD: Insights for Parents, Clinicians, and Researchers

Filmed April 2017 – edited into 3 parts; total 19 minutes

Dr. Krista Johnston has had a long standing interest in the modification of CBT for children with ASD. In this 20 minute presentation, Dr. Johnson highlights the growing evidence that group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) treatments to address mental health issues, such as anxiety, are promising alternatives to standard individual CBT treatments for children with ASD. However, despite high demand, group treatments are often not available in the community – greater progress is needed to translate knowledge from academic/healthcare research settings to everyday practice in the community.

The Facing Your Fears program is a manualized and evidence-based (Reaven et al., 2011), modified CBT group treatment for children with ASD and anxiety disorders. Clinician-researchers at BC Children’s Hospital have administered 15 of these groups to children between the ages of 8 and 13 and their parents over the last five years. A selection of research findings will be shared.

The presentation will include information to support parents in recognizing anxiety and seeking appropriate services as well as information for professionals interested in learning more about clinical and research efforts related to increasing community accessibility of group treatments targeting mental health concerns.

Learning Objectives
  • Cite research on a group treatment program for treating anxiety in ASD.
  • Translate clinical research in a tertiary-care setting to community-level implementation.
  • Recognize anxiety in ASD.
  • Discuss clinical and research challenges associated with offering group treatments for children with comorbid mental health issues in community settings.
Krista Johnston, PhD

Krista Johnston, PhD, graduated in Clinical Psychology specializing in Autism and Developmental Disorders with special interest in mental health in ASD. She has worked with individuals with ASD and their families for 16 years and is currently completing her residency at BC Children’s Hospital.

Part 1: Need for anxiety treatment, Barriers for families and clinicians, and treatment using CBT

Part 2: Comparison of group treatment options in a real-world example

Part 3: Next steps

  • Bridging the gap between research and practice
  • Improving cost effectiveness for use in private practice
  • Consultation, support, and training for clinicians

Addressing Mental Health in Autism : Should We Treat the Person with ASD, the Family, or the Community?

Filmed April 2017 – edited into 6 parts; total 90 minutes

In this fascinating keynote presentation, Dr. Jonathan Weiss, one of Canada’s leading autism researchers, describes the individual and contextual factors that increase the likelihood of mental health problems for individuals with autism. Drawing on the research, and his extensive clinical experience, Dr. Weiss offers important insights into the ways these problems can be  alleviated by working with individuals, families, and communities.

Learning Objectives
  • Recognize ways that mental health problems present in people with autism.
  • Identify individuals at risk and contextual risk factors for mental health problems.
  • Describe interventions to address mental health problems.
Jonathan Weiss, PhD, CPsych

Weiss_photoJonathan Weiss holds the Canadian Institute of Health Research Chair in Autism Spectrum Disorders Treatment and Care Research. He is a Clinical Psychologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at York University in Toronto. Dr. Weiss’ research focuses on the prevention and treatment of mental health problems in people with ASD and/or intellectual disabilities across the lifespan. He is interested in their health service needs, their emergency service use, and their experiences of psychiatric crisis.

Families play a critical role in the health of people with developmental disabilities by providing them with care and enabling their access to health services, one of Dr. Weiss’ research interests is the experience of family caregivers. In addition, he is interested in program development and evaluation. Dr. Weiss has a specific interest in the impact of Special Olympics on the psychological well-being of participants, and of cognitive-behavioural and social skill interventions to promote resilience and improve the mental health of children and adults with developmental disabilities.

Part 1: Introduction and overview

Topics covered:
  • Transdiagnostic approach
  • Multiple baseline design research
  • Correlational Study

Part 2: Individual-contextual approach to mental health problems

Part 3: The individual as the target

Part 4: The family as the target

Part 5: The community as the target

Part 6: Discussion period

Questions
  • What research is being done on the relationship between environmental factors and anxiety? (Start of video)
  • Mindfulness group strategies? (2:49)
  • Trauma-focused therapy? (4:35)
  • Self-reporting and research by autistic researchers? (5:30)
  • Is there a link between personality disorders and autism? (6:47)
  • How do you incorporate siblings into the bio-social approach of care? (10:32)
  • Parental mental health? (11:57)
  • What should be measured to document the impact of an intervention so as to demonstrate that it can have positive health implications?
References cited:

Mental Health Challenges in ASD: Perspectives of adults with ASD and professionals who work with adults

Filmed April 2017 – edited into 4 parts; total 54 minutes

This fascinating panel discussion provides positive, practical insights offered by autistic individuals, clinicians and researchers on the complex realities facing individuals with autism with mental health conditions, primarily anxiety and depression.

This panel was recorded at ACT’s 13th Annual Focus on Research Conference held in 2017- Autism & Mental Health – Looking Beyond Autism – to provide a forum to discuss common co-occurring mental health conditions with the goal of encouraging equitable access to mental health services for people with ASD across the lifespan.

Panelists:

Kenneth Binnie & Allixe Galloway: autistic adults providing their personal insights

David Worling, PhD, Registered Psychologist, Director, West Coast Child Development Group, Vancouver 

Grace Iarocci, PhD, Registered Psychologist, Professor of Psychology, Simon Fraser University

Jonathan Weiss, PhD, Registered Psychologist, Canadian Institute of Health Research Chair in ASD Treatment and Care, Associate Professor of Psychology, York University

Part 1: Allixe Galloway – Impact of mental health on career and personal life

Part 2: Kenneth Binnie

Part 3: David Worling

Part 4: Q&A

  • Gender identity (Start of video)
  • Rates, risk, and prevention of suicide (1:53)
  • Differences in mental health between individuals with ASD and the general population (3:14)
  • Perspective of adults with ASD: Useful tools and therapy (7:05)
  • What would you have liked your family or peers to better understand about you when you were younger? (12:08)
  • What do you think is required to be an expert so that individuals with autism can become more involved? (14:09)
  • First Nations communities living with ASD and the impact of inter-generational trauma (18;35)
  • Thoughts on being an observer (21:34)
  • Suggestions for assisting people with anxiety to engage in treatment (26:19)