AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

BEHAVIORAL DEFINITIONS
1. Shows a pervasive lack of interest in or responsiveness to other people.
2. Demonstrates a chronic failure to develop social relationships appropriate to the
developmental level.
3. Lacks spontaneity and emotional or social reciprocity.
4. Exhibits a significant delay in or total lack of spoken language development.
5. Is impaired in sustaining or initiating conversation.
6. Demonstrates oddities in speech and language such as echolalia, pronominal
reversal, or metaphorical language.
7. Rigidly adheres to repetition of nonfunctional rituals or stereotyped motor
mannerisms.
8. Shows persistent preoccupation with objects, parts of objects, or restricted areas
of interest.
9. Exhibits a marked impairment or extreme variability in intellectual and cognitive
functioning.
10. Demonstrates extreme resistance or overreaction to minor changes in routines
or environment.
11. Exhibits emotional constriction or blunted affect.
12. Demonstrates a recurrent pattern of self-abusive behaviors (e.g., head banging,
biting, burning himself/herself).
LONG-TERM GOALS
1. Develop basic language skills and the ability to communicate simply with others.
2. Establish and maintain a basic emotional bond with primary attachment figures.
3. Family members develop acceptance of the client's overall capabilities and place
realistic expectations on his/her behavior.
4. Parents become experts in their child's strengths and limitations, facilitating the
child's ability to accomplish her/her goals.
5. Engage in reciprocal and cooperative interactions with others on a regular basis.
6. Stabilize mood and tolerate changes in routine or environment.
7. Eliminate all self-abusive behaviors.
8. Attain and maintain the highest realistic level of independent functioning.

SHORT-TERM OBJECTIVES

1. Participate in a thorough diagnostic evaluation, following recommendations for

additional assessment(s) if needed. (1, 2)
2. Cooperate with an intellectual and cognitive evaluation. (3)
3. Cooperate with a vision/hearing examination. (4)
4. Attend a medical evaluation. (5)
5. Participate in a speech/ language evaluation and attend speech and language
therapy sessions, if advised. (6)
6. Cooperate with a neurological evaluation. (7)
7. Provide behavioral, emotional, and attitudinal information toward an
assessment of specifiers relevant to a DSM diagnosis, the efficacy of treatment,
and the nature of the therapy relationship. (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
8. Participate in a psychiatric evaluation regarding the need for psychotropic
medication. (13)
9. Parents verbalize increased knowledge and understanding of autism
spectrum disorders. (14, 15)
10. Parents, child, and school personnel comply with an intensive, in-home,
behaviorally-based therapy program.
11. Parents work with the therapist toward ensuring coordination of care across
the child's treatment providers. (17)
12. Comply fully with the recommendations offered by the assessment(s) and
individualized educational planning committee (IEPC). (18, 19)
13. Participate in treatment based on the Lovaas method. (20)
14. Increase the frequency of appropriate, self-initiated verbalizations toward the
therapist, family members, and others. (21, 22, 23)
15. Decrease the frequency of unwanted behavior and replace with appropriate,
functional behavior. (24, 25, 26, 27)
16. Decrease the frequency and severity of temper outbursts and aggressive

behaviors. (28, 29, 30)

17. Decrease the frequency and severity of self-abusive behaviors. (31)
18. Demonstrate essential self-care and independent living skills. (32, 33, 34)
19. Increase the frequency of positive interactions with parents and siblings. (35,
36, 37)
20. Parents and siblings report feeling a closer bond with the client. (38, 39, 40)
21. Increase the frequency of positive interactions with peers. (41)
22. Expand the number and type of social activities with others. (42)
23. Parents monitor the ongoing progress of their child, working with the
treatment team to inform continuing treatment with the data. (43)
24. Parents and family members identify and use supportive resources for
managing the stress of raising a child with autism. (44, 45, 46, 47)

25.

Identify and express basic emotions. (48, 49)

DIAGNOSTIC SUGGESTIONS
Using DSM-5/ICD-9-CM/ICD-10-CM:
299.00
F84 Autistic Spectrum Disorder
315.9
F89 Unspecified Neurodevelopmental Disorder
315.8
F88 Other Specified Neurodevelopmental Disorder
313.89
F94.1
Reactive Attachment Disorder
307.3
F98.4
Stereotypic Movement Disorder
295.xx
F20.9
Schizophrenia
317 F70 Intellectual Disability, Mild
319 F79 Unspecified Intellectual Disability

Notas sobre: Arthur E. Jongsma, Jr. The Child Psychotherapy Treatment Planner.
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