پیشرفت دردها: چگونه روانشناسان می توانند به رفع نیازهای بالینی مددجویان مبتلا به اختلالات طیف اوتیسم کمک کنند

The pervasiveness and the prevalence of the autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are now much more recognized than in years past. The treatment needs of higher functioning people with ASD unfortunately often go unmet, and there is tremendous potential for psychologists to help meet these needs. The four articles in this special series provide current, best practice reviews and recommendations for practicing psychologists who work in this area. They highlight commonalities that cut across ASD and other clinical populations, and offer considerations that are unique to working with clients who have ASD. This commentary emphasizes the need for clinicians and applied psychological scientists to consider some of these issues in their own work.

As a scientist and clinician specializing in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), I have been fortunate to work in both urban communities (hospitals and universities in major metropolitan areas) and in very rural ones (with sheep bleating outside the clinic doors). Two commonalities that have been striking to me across these diverse settings are how similar the needs of families of the clients with ASD have been, and the lack of available and appropriate therapeutic services. I was thrilled when asked to serve as discussant for this C&BP special series on treatment for ASD because our field is at a real turning point in the way we view ASD and its treatment. Historically, autism services have been viewed as highly specialized, relegated nearly exclusively to board-certified behavior analysts conducting ABA and special education teachers delivering school-based services. We now appreciate the need for a comprehensive and integrative approach that considers the whole person in treatment, including psychiatric comorbidities, family (including sibling and parent) functioning, and the client's long-term mental health needs to maximize quality of life. No matter the setting in which one practices, there is a substantial clinical need to be met and psychologists are well-equipped to meet this need. The four articles comprising this special series ( Burrell and Borrego, 2012-this issue, Ferraioli et al., 2012-this issue, Gillis and Beights, 2012-this issue and Koegel et al., 2012-this issue) all speak to the heterogeneity that typifies ASD and the need for psychologists to be informed about the various support roles and evidence-based treatment options available.