Behavioral Interventions in Autism

Abstract

Childhood psychiatric disorders have increased over the last decades. Changing socio-cultural environmental conditions, better diagnostic techniques and increased sensitization among the masses and the health professionals are some of the most common reasons of this increased childhood psychiatric diagnoses. Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are one of the most common disorders among children. it is  a group of neurodevelopment disorders with specific delays and deviance in social, communicative and cognitive development. It includes autism, Asperger’s syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder- not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS). It is a lifelong developmental condition that affects the way an individual relates to his or her environment and their interaction with other people.  In this paper, the term ASD and autism will be used interchangeably. It is often diagnosed between the age of two and five years. biopsychosocial model is used to explain the possible sources of origin of autism spectrum disorder. Medical, cognitive, behavioral, early intervention approaches are the most common models of interventions in autism. The current paper will specifically describe the various behavioral interventions commonly used in the management of autism.