The family of the autistic child: A behavioral-systems view

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Abstract

Parent training is a well documented contribution of behavior therapy to the treatment of autism. There are other less well explored behavioral interventions of potential for the family with an autistic child which need to be examined systematically. This paper adopts a behavioral-systems view to address issues which arise in the family of an autistic child at the time of diagnosis, during early and middle childhood, during adolescence and adulthood, in relation to siblings, and within the extended family and community. Behavioral marital therapy, behavioral family therapy, and individual intervention techniques can help families adapt to the chronic stress of living with a handicapped member. The therapist is cautioned not to overlook the more intensive therapeutic needs of those dysfunctional families for whom the child's handicap is only one factor in an array of predisposing problems.

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    Support for this grant came in part from a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (MH29897-04).

    My thanks to Linda Hoffman who typed the paper.

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