This unique, collaborative book, featuring contributions from autistic and non-autistic experts, presents cutting-edge thinking on mental health and service transformation in relation to autistic children and young people (CYP) and their families. Investigating how to implement collaborative approaches to supporting autistic CYP's mental health, this book considers ways for professionals to share power and co-design models of support, promoting self-agency and supportive environments for autistic acceptance and wellbeing. Each chapter includes reflections and vignettes from autistic CYP and allies, key questions and thinking points for readers to consider. The book also includes a link for an e-library with multimedia material with the top take aways for clinicians such as animations, flyers and recorded interviews. The book will be of immense interest to individuals working with autistic CYP and their families in mental health at any level.

Decades of research have demonstrated that the parent-child dyad and the environment of the familyâ€"which includes all primary caregiversâ€"are at the foundation of children's well- being and healthy development. From birth, children are learning and rely on parents and the other caregivers in their lives to protect and care for them. The impact of parents may never be greater than during the earliest years of life, when a child's brain is rapidly developing and when nearly all of her or his experiences are created and shaped by parents and the family environment. Parents help children build and refine their knowledge and skills, charting a trajectory for their health and well-being during childhood and beyond. The experience of parenting also impacts parents themselves. For instance, parenting can enrich and give focus to parents' lives; generate stress or calm; and create any number of emotions, including feelings of happiness, sadness, fulfillment, and anger. Parenting of young children today takes place in the context of significant ongoing developments. These include: a rapidly growing body of science on early childhood, increases in funding for programs and services for families, changing demographics of the U.S. population, and greater diversity of family structure. Additionally, parenting is increasingly being shaped by technology and increased access to information about parenting. Parenting Matters identifies parenting knowledge, attitudes, and practices associated with positive developmental outcomes in children ages 0-8; universal/preventive and targeted strategies used in a variety of settings that have been effective with parents of young children and that support the identified knowledge, attitudes, and practices; and barriers to and facilitators for parents' use of practices that lead to healthy child outcomes as well as their participation in effective programs and services. This report makes recommendations directed at an array of stakeholders, for promoting the wide-scale adoption of effective programs and services for parents and on areas that warrant further research to inform policy and practice. It is meant to serve as a roadmap for the future of parenting policy, research, and practice in the United States.

"Prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is estimated at one in 54 people (Maenner et al., 2020). Of people diagnosed with ASD in childhood, 85% continue to meet diagnostic criteria as adults (Billstedt et al., 2005). As with most neurodevelopmental disorders, ASD has historically been primarily studied as a disorder of childhood. However, this tide is changing. An estimated 50,000 adolescents with ASD age into adulthood every year (Shattuck et al., 2012). At this rate, we can expect upward of a half-million more adults with ASD every decade. This reality is inconsistent with the current research focus; only 2% of all ASD-related research focuses on adult outcomes (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2017)"--

A complete guide to evidence based interventions for children and adolescents The past decade has witnessed the development of numerous interventions proved to be highly effective; several treatments are now considered to be "well established" or "probably efficacious" interventions for children. Given the range of providers working with children—clinical psychologists, child psychiatrists, clinical social workers, school psychologists, and marriage and family therapists—this book is designed to provide all professionals the information they now need about the use of these evidence-based interventions (EBIs), as well as the evaluation criteria used to determine their efficacy in in meeting the mental health needs of children. Alfano and Beidel have assembled a team of experts to write the disorder chapters. Each chapter begins with an overview of the disorder then delves into evidence-based approaches to treatment, the impact of parental involvement, case-by-case modifications, progress measurement, and clinical examples. In overview chapters the editors cover: The role of development in treatment planning and implementation Dissemination of EBIs into school and community settings The use of controversial therapies with children Emerging methods of service delivery and access improvement Comprehensive Evidence Based Interventions for Children and Adolescents provides clinicians, researchers, and students alike with the theoretical, conceptual, and practical skills to provide children and adolescents with the best care possible.

Arts Therapies and The Mental Health of Children and Young People presents innovative research, theory and practice in the arts therapies. The different social, cultural and political contexts and developmental age groups illustrate and underscore the richness and diversity of contemporary arts therapies' creative response to the needs of children and young people in contrasting locations. The book represents an acknowledgement of the high rates of mental disorders in children and young people and addresses this subject. In presenting an array of responses from arts therapists working with children and young people in different contexts and countries, the book highlights the particular features of distinct art forms, yet also points to the potential dialogue between disciplines. Chapters show how the expressive potential and appeal of the arts, when facilitated within the therapeutic relationship, are crucial in fostering hope in the future and the capacity for trust in self and others. This book will be of great interest to arts therapists as well as academics and postgraduate students in the fields of arts therapies, social work, psychotherapy, health psychology, and education.

This book addresses the importance and relevance of interprofessional care coordination for children and youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It covers the role of interprofessional collaborations across various settings for multiple service provision purposes. The volume examines interprofessional collaboration among professionals across such broad issues as screening, evaluation, intervention, and overall care management of ASD. In addition, the book explores more narrowly focused issues, such as providing transition services during early childhood and young adulthood, culturally responsive practice and advocacy issues for individuals with ASD from diverse backgrounds, and providing care for individuals with ASD and co-occurring trauma. Finally, the book concludes with the editors’ recommendations for future directions in interprofessional care for pediatric ASD. Topics featured in this book include: Autism screening tools and interdisciplinary coordination of the processes. Dell Children’s (S)TAAR Model of Early Autism Assessment. The Early Start Denver Model (ESDM). Transition from early schooling for youth with ASD. Postsecondary and vocational opportunities for youth with autism. Transitioning from pediatric to adult medical systems. International perspectives in coordinated care for individuals with ASD. Psychopharmacology of ASD. Interprofessional Care Coordination for Pediatric Autism Spectrum Disorder is an essential resource for researchers, clinicians and professionals, and graduate students in clinical child and school psychology, social work, behavioral therapy and related disciplines, including clinical medicine, clinical nursing, counseling, speech and language pathology, and special education.

Anxiety in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Evidence-Based Assessment and Treatment begins with a general overview of the history of research on anxiety in ASD and the path towards evidence-based assessment and treatment methods. Thereafter, chapters focus on the nature of ASD and anxiety comorbidity, the assessment of anxiety in ASD, and its treatment. Later chapters are devoted to future directions for research on this topic, including a discussion of anxiety assessment and treatment for adults and minimally verbal individuals. Anxiety disorders in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can cause substantial distress and impairment over and above that caused by ASD alone. Emerging research on genetic, psychological, psychophysiological, and psychometric aspects of ASD establish anxiety as a valid and necessary treatment target in this population. This book is designed to help a broad array of providers who work with children with ASD understand cutting-edge, empirically supported treatments for anxiety, including specific treatment plans and strategies. - Presents a balanced discussion of the scientific literature on anxiety in ASD - Provides a pragmatic, clinically applied focus that gives readers a 'how-to' guide for the treatment of anxiety in ASD - Considers the distinct ways in which anxiety presents in children and adolescents with ASD and the challenges this presents to assessment and treatment - Examines emerging areas of anxiety assessment and treatment research in ASD