Theories and Problems in Your Branch of Psychology doctoral paper
PLEASE ENSURE TO FOLLOW ALL DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY- TO MANY TUTORS HAVE NOT BEEN FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS!!! This must be in 6th ed. APA formatting
Directions:Using information you have read related to your branch of psychology and dissertation topic, ( My topic is: What is the best therapy for the treatment of autism? )
write a brief paper (750-1,000 words) that identifies theories and problems specifically related to your branch of psychology. Address the following in your paper:
. College of Doctoral Studies
What is the best therapy for the treatment of autism?
Jennifer Coetzee
Grand Canyon University
December 18, 2019
Autism Treatment
PSY-802 Literature Review Resources
Number
1
.
Article Information
Added to
RefWorks?
(Y or N)
Bibliographic Information
Y
Bibbo, G., Kirkwood, I., Sigalas, V., & Benger, T. (2019).
Radioiodine (131I) therapy in a child with autism spectrum disorder:
A complex and demanding task. World Journal of Nuclear Medicine,
18(3), 293–295. https://doiorg.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.4103/wjnm.WJNM_40_18
Link
https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/logi
n.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=138126252&site=edslive&scope=site
Annotation
Study was completed on an 11-year-old male with the diagnosis of
autism. The child was initially referred for radioiodine therapy also
known as RAI. The child was studied to determine if a 48-72 hour
isolation would result in him swallowing a RAI capsule. Barriers for
the patient were his behavioral issues related to his autism, mild I/DD
(intellectual developmental disability), and his parental environment.
His mother was convinced he would not swallow and the capsule or
be agreeable with the isolation time period. As a result, a
multidisciplinary team was developed in order to aid in his successful
treatment. Several options were considered such as regular, frequent
contact between the child, his parents, and members of the team for
counseling and behavioral modification, familiarization of the child
with the staff, procedures, trial visits, and admission. The team
determined behavioral therapy to be the only possible option. As a
result, the patient was successful in his treatment.
2.
Bibliographic Information
Dae-Wook Kang, James B. Adams, Devon M. Coleman, Elena L.
Pollard, Juan Maldonado, Sharon McDonough-Means,Rosa
Krajmalnik-Brown. (2019). Long-term benefit of Microbiota Transfer
© 2014. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved.
Y
Autism Treatment
Therapy on autism symptoms and gut microbiota. Scientific Reports,
(1), 1. https://doi-org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.1038/s41598-019-42183-0
Link
https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/logi
n.aspx?direct=true&db=edsdoj&AN=edsdoj.5d6b1a5e6b9048b5bb0b
45a90b020b30&site=eds-live&scope=site
Annotation
Historically, there has been several studies completed that report
abnormal gut microbiota in people with autism. In these studies it has
been suggested that there is a link between autism and gut
microbiome. As a result, study was completed utilizing open-label
trials of microbiota transfer therapy otherwise known as MTT. This
study combined antibiotics, bowel cleansing, stomach acid
suppressants and fecal microbiota transplant from a healthy
microbiota donor. In the study 18 participants were involved. Followup 2 years after their treatments showed positive results.
Gastrointestinal symptoms as well as microbiota were maintained over
this time frame. In addition, autism related symptoms also showed
improvement. During these observations is was determined that MTT
not only was very effective but also showed long-term effects and
safety as a future therapy to treat autism who also have
gastrointestinal issues.
3.
Bibliographic Information
Gilles Maussion, Cecilia Rocha, Geneviève Bernard, Lenore K.
Beitel, & Thomas M. Durcan. (2019). Patient-Derived Stem Cells,
Another in vitro Model, or the Missing Link Toward Novel Therapies
for Autism Spectrum Disorders? Frontiers in Pediatrics. https://doiorg.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.3389/fped.2019.00225
Link
https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/logi
n.aspx?direct=true&db=edsdoj&AN=edsdoj.41bdae787a2840d79db9
© 2014. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved.
Y
Autism Treatment
9cbbaa92c526&site=eds-live&scope=site
Annotation
Autism is known historically as a multigenic, multi-factorial, and
neuro developmental disorder that is typically diagnosed in early
childhood. Autism leads to deficits in social skills, verbal and nonverbal communication. In addition, autism is characterized by
restricted and repetitive behaviors and interests. In order to understand
the genetic, descriptive and mechanistic aspects of autism, several
studies have been conducted. Mouse models and postmortem brain
tissue have also been studied in order to better understand and treat
autism. Today, the technology to now generate stem cells from patient
samples has brought breakthrough for autism through 2D and 3D
neuronal models. The goal is to build new therapeutic strategies for
treatment. Through these studies of mouse models and human samples
advancement in the knowledge and pathophysiology of autism can be
discovered. Thus, considering the complexities of these disorders,
patient-derived models have immense potential to clarify molecular
deregulation that contributed to the different autistic phenotype.
Through these direct investigations with the human in vitro models,
they offer the potential for opening new therapeutic avenues.
4.
Bibliographic Information
Ruu-Fen Tzang, Chuan-Hsin Chang, Yue-Cune Chang, & Hsien-Yuan
Lane. (2019). Autism Associated With Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis:
Glutamate-Related Therapy. Frontiers in Psychiatry. https://doiorg.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00440
Link
https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/logi
n.aspx?direct=true&db=edsdoj&AN=edsdoj.f48fec59c339441d95e7e
bc5017038d2&site=eds-live&scope=site
Annotation
This study was conducted to determine if autism is in fact associated
with autoimmune dysfunction. There are several auto antibodies that
can cause psychiatric symptoms such as hallucinations, psychosis,
behavioral changes and so on. The auto antibody binds to certain brain
receptors which cause the neuro transmission in the brain to manifest
© 2014. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved.
Y
Autism Treatment
these symptoms. During the study there was detection of these auto
antibodies affecting several imbalances in the blood. In addition
several infections were noted in the patients’ history. The child’s
medical history and lab reports show significant signs of auto immune
autism. It is determined in the study that early detection of these
autoimmune encephalitis can potentially increase the effects of the
treatments. With the aid of these treatments the symptoms that are
resulted from the antibodies could be minimized or eliminated
completely. This study has concluded that immune therapies could
potentially prevent long-term effects for auto immune autism.
Findings in the study show glutamate therapy is most effective in
bringing the neuro transmitters back to normal range, in addition to
being an additional intervention to medication for treatment.
5.
Bibliographic Information
Stephanie Saaybi, Natally AlArab, Salem Hannoun, Maritherese
Saade, Rayyan Tutunji, Carine Zeeni, … Rose-Mary Boustany.
(2019). Pre- and Post-therapy Assessment of Clinical Outcomes and
White Matter Integrity in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Pilot Study.
Frontiers in Neurology. https://doiorg.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.3389/fneur.2019.00877
Link
https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/logi
n.aspx?direct=true&db=edsdoj&AN=edsdoj.84a0393a5d64ea5aba51c
3340f1b869&site=eds-live&scope=site
Annotation
This study was conducted to determine if diffusion tensor imaging
(DTI) can identify white matter tract abnormalities in autism. MRI
was conducted to gather baseline results in order to compare results
after the study to determine improvement or no changes. The study
was completed on toddlers and preschoolers who have been diagnosed
with autism. Image findings with clinical improvement were
compared after early interventions as well as, applied behavior
analysis (ABA) therapy by verbal behavior milestones assessments.
Placement program methods were also completed utilizing DTI scans.
© 2014. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved.
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Autism Treatment
These studies were completed on a total of 17 toddlers with autism
diagnoses. DTI findings showed that autism patients’ white matter
abnormalities showed benefits of the early interventions and ABA
therapy on clinical and imaging outcomes.
6.
Bibliographic Information
Benger, M., Kinali, M., & Mazarakis, N. D. (2018). Autism spectrum
disorder: Prospects for treatment using gene therapy. Molecular
Autism, (1), 1. doi:10.1186/s13229-018-0222-8
Y
Link
https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.as
px?direct=true&db=a9h&bquery=IS+20402392+AND+TI+(%26quot%3bAutism+spectrum+disorder%3a+prospects+for
+treatment+using+gene+therapy%26quot%3b)+AND+DT+%26quot%3b201
8%26quot%3b+AND+AU+%26quot%3bBenger%26quot%3b&cli0=FT&clv0=Y
&type=1&searchMode=Standard&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Annotation
In this study gene replacement therapy is performed in patients with
Autism Spectrum disorder (ASD) This study was completed over a
period of five years. gene therapy offers a promising alternative to
conventional small molecule therapies. Preclinical studies over the last
5 years using animal models displaying autism-like traits have
demonstrated that directly altering gene expression using rAAVdelivered transgenes can reverse the behavioral phenotype, either via
gene replacement or RNA knockdown. Such studies establish proofof-concept and set up a platform for clinical translation in various
monogenic ASDs, with RS being a frontrunner in this regard.
However, there is still much more research and barriers to gene
therapy that need to be overcome first before this therapy can be
offered to the public. There are many factors that need to be
considered first such as hereditary factors which was explored some in
this case study.
7.
Bibliographic Information
Caputo, G., Ippolito, G., Mazzotta, M., Sentenza, L., Muzio, M. R.,
Salzano, S., & Conson, M. (2018). Effectiveness of a multisystem
aquatic therapy for children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal
of Autism & Developmental Disorders, 48(6), 1945-1956.
© 2014. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved.
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Autism Treatment
doi:10.1007/s10803-017-3456-y
Link
https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.as
px?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=129572139&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Annotation
This study tested to see is aqua therapy would be a form of
successful treatment for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Aqua therapy has been successful in other illnesses and disabilities to
improve overall motor skills and improving injuries. It has been
believed that aqua therapy would also be successful in improving the
motor skills in children with Autism Spectrum disorder prior to this
study. In this study it the effectiveness of a multisystem aquatic
therapy on behavioral, emotional, social and swimming skills of
children with Autism Spectrum Disorder was tested. Multisystem
aquatic therapy was divided in three phases: emotional adaptation,
swimming adaptation and social integration. This study was over a
ten-month program. Following this study the aqua therapy group
showed definitive evidence of improvements relative to controls on
functional adaptation (Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales), emotional
response, adaptation to change and on activity level (Childhood
Autism Rating Scale). Swimming skills learning was also
demonstrated. Multisystem aquatic therapy is useful for ameliorating
functional impairments of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder,
going well beyond a swimming training.
8.
Bibliographic Information
Green, J., Aldred, C., Charman, T., Couteur, A. L., Emsley, R. A.,
Grahame, V., . . . PACT-G Group. (2018). Paediatric autism
communication therapy-generalised (PACT-G) against treatment as
usual for reducing symptom severity in young children with autism
spectrum disorder: Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.
Trials, (1), 1. doi:10.1186/s13063-018-2881-3
Link
https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.as
px?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=131896062&site=ehost-live&scope=site
© 2014. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved.
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Autism Treatment
Annotation
This study utilizes Pediatric Autism Communication Therapy-generalized or
PAT-G. Prior evidence shows that behaviors closely related to the
intervention delivered for autism are amenable to change, but it is more
difficult to generalize treatment effects beyond the intervention context.
This study tested an early autism intervention designed to promote
generalization of therapy-acquired skills into home and school contexts to
improve adaptive function and reduce symptoms. A detailed mechanism
study was to address the process of such generalization. The first objective
was put in place to test if the PACT-G intervention improves autism
symptom outcome in the home and school context of the intervention as
well as in the primary outcome research setting. The second objective used
the mechanism analysis to test for evidence of acquired skills from
intervention generalizing across contexts and producing additive effects on
primary outcome.
9.
Bibliographic Information
Kaur, K. S., & Pathak, R. (2019). Play-based occupational therapy
intervention on social skills in children with autism spectrum disorder
and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A case series. Indian
Journal of Occupational Therapy, 51(1), 31-36.
doi:10.4103/ijoth.ijoth_5_19
Link
https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.as
px?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=136066647&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Annotation
In children who have Autism Spectrum disorder the social aspect is one that
is very difficult for children with ASD. Often times children with ASD do not
know how to interact with their peers and are award in social settings. This
presents a great deal of issues for them going into adulthood. In addition,
due to the lack of their abilities to act appropriately in social settings many
limits are set for children with ASD and this can also cause further anxiety,
depression and behavioral problems. This study was completed in kids 4-5
years of age with a diagnosis of ASD. Data was collected prior to starting
this study to determine social skills level before and after. Play was
incorporated in occupational therapy in sessions that were completed twice
a week for sixty minutes. After six months the data was reviewed which
showed progress was made in social skills.
© 2014. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved.
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Autism Treatment
10.
Bibliographic Information
Siniscalco, D., Kannan, S., Semprún-Hernández, N., Eshraghi, A. A.,
Brigida, A. L., & Antonucci, N. (2018). Stem cell therapy in
autism: Recent insights. Stem Cells and Cloning, 11, 55-67.
doi:http://dx.doi.org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.2147/SCCAA.S15541
0
Link
https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search-proquestcom.lopes.idm.oclc.org/docview/2228644100?accountid=7374
Annotation
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are characterized by core domains:
persistent deficits in social communication and interaction;
restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities.
ASDs comprise heterogeneous and complex neurodevelopmental
pathologies with well-defined inflammatory conditions and immune
system dysfunction. Due to neurobiological changes underlying ASD
development, cell-based therapies have been proposed and applied
to ASDs. Indeed, stem cells show specific immunologic properties,
which make them promising candidates in ASD treatment. This
comprehensive up-to-date review focuses on ASD cellular and
molecular abnormalities, potentially useful stem cell types, animal
models, and current clinical trials on the use of stem cells in treating
autism. The limits and barriers with these studies are also outlined in
this study as well.
© 2014. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved.
Y
Autism Treatment
References
Bibbo, G., Kirkwood, I., Sigalas, V., & Benger, T. (2019). Radioiodine (131I) therapy in a child
with autism spectrum disorder: A complex and demanding task. World Journal of Nuclear
Medicine, 18(3), 293-295. doi:10.4103/wjnm.WJNM_40_18
Dae-Wook Kang, Adams, J. B., Coleman, D. M., Pollard, E. L., Maldonado, J., Sharon
McDonough-Means, . . . Rosa Krajmalnik-Brown. (2019). Long-term benefit of microbiota
transfer therapy on autism symptoms and gut microbiota. Scientific Reports, (1), 1.
doi:10.1038/s41598-019-42183-0
Maussion, G., Rocha, C., Geneviève Bernard, Beitel, L. K., & Durcan, T. M. (2019). Patientderived stem cells, another in vitro model, or the missing link toward novel therapies for
autism spectrum disorders? Frontiers in Pediatrics, doi:10.3389/fped.2019.00225
Ruu-Fen Tzang, Chuan-Hsin Chang, Yue-Cune Chang, & Hsien-Yuan Lane. (2019). Autism
associated with anti-NMDAR encephalitis: Glutamate-related therapy. Frontiers in
Psychiatry, doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00440
Saaybi, S., AlArab, N., Hannoun, S., Saade, M., Tutunji, R., Zeeni, C., . . . Rose-Mary Boustany.
(2019). Pre- and post-therapy assessment of clinical outcomes and white matter integrity in
autism spectrum disorder: Pilot study. Frontiers in Neurology, doi:10.3389/fneur.2019.0087
© 2014. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved.
Autism Treatment
Benger, M., Kinali, M., & Mazarakis, N. D. (2018). Autism spectrum disorder: Prospects for
treatment using gene therapy. Molecular Autism, (1), 1. doi:10.1186/s13229-018-0222-8
Caputo, G., Ippolito, G., Mazzotta, M., Sentenza, L., Muzio, M. R., Salzano, S., & Conson, M.
(2018). Effectiveness of a multisystem aquatic therapy for children with autism spectrum
disorders. Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders, 48(6), 1945-1956.
doi:10.1007/s10803-017-3456-y
DiPietro, J., Kelemen, A., Liang, Y., & Cecilia Sik-Lanyi. (2019). Computer- and robot-assisted
therapies to aid social and intellectual functioning of children with autism spectrum
disorder. Medicina, (8), 440. doi:10.3390/medicina55080440
Green, J., Aldred, C., Charman, T., Couteur, A. L., Emsley, R. A., Grahame, V., . . . PACT-G
Group. (2018). Paediatric autism communication therapy-generalised (PACT-G) against
treatment as usual for reducing symptom severity in young children with autism spectrum
disorder: Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials, (1), 1.
doi:10.1186/s13063-018-2881-3
Siniscalco, D., Kannan, S., Semprún-Hernández, N., Eshraghi, A. A., Brigida, A. L., &
Antonucci, N. (2018). Stem cell therapy in autism: Recent insights. Stem Cells and Cloning,
11, 55-67. doi:http://dx.doi.org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.2147/SCCAA.S155410
© 2014. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved.
Running Head: EFFECTIVE THERAPHY FOR TREATMENT OF AUTISM
1
You have some good information in this paper, and cover most of the required
elements, but his is not completed according to the instructions provided in the
module 2 announcements (See module 2 announcements). You have not set up your
paper with a clear introduction or a thesis statement. Also your paper is not
organized into proper sections with section headings. Also, you have this in an
outline format; the directions for the assignment were to ‘write a paper’. The paper
should be in final draft form and correctly formatted. That clarification was
reiterated in the module 2 announcements (see module 2 announcements). See APA
manual for information on correct formatting and different levels of section headings.
Effective Therapy for Treatment of Autism
Jennifer Coetzee
Grand Canyon University
PSY-803
January 15, 2020
1. Identify your emphasis area and dissertation topic.
My emphasis will be on applied behavior analysis as the most effective therapy for
the treatment of autism. It is quite evident that ABA has come to be a widely accepted treatment
EFFECTIVE THERAPHY FOR TREATMENT OF AUTISM
2
therapy among healthcare professionals in the entire United States. Applied behavior analysis
(ABA) is based on a system that rewards positive behaviors and discourages negative behaviors
to improve the relevant skills of the patient. The progress of the child living with autism is
constantly measured and tracked (Hobson, 2019).
Since my dissertation topic will be “What is the best therapy for the treatment of
autism”, I will also elaborate on the different types of ABA. The most commonly used types of
ABA therapies include Discrete Trial Training (DTT), the early intensive behavioral intervention
(EIBI), Pivotal response training (PRT) and Verbal Behavior Intervention (VBI).
DTT involves teaching in a series of steps and ensuring the lessons are broken down into
small steps which could be easily understood by the learner with the use of positive
reinforcement for the right answers. Wrong responses are ignored. EIBI is the type of applied
behavioral analysis administered on very young children of 3 years and below. The main purpose
of PRT is to motivate and encourage a child to learn and improve communication skills with
others. Lastly, VBI’s objective is for the nurturing of a child’s verbal skills.
2. Explain the need for your research.
The main aim of researching the best treatment for autism is to understand more about
autism spectrum disorder which in turn helps in obtaining the best treatment. Again by doing
EFFECTIVE THERAPHY FOR TREATMENT OF AUTISM
3
research will help in checking on how the brains of patients of these patients works, are they
immune? What is the effectiveness of certain drugs, do they experience sleeping problems and
any other issue they experience. Again, more research is required in the elusive topic of autism
therapy since the prevalence of autism is quite high in the United States with CDC estimating
that 1 in every 42 boys is born with autism.
3. Identify the main theorists or researchers associated with your research topic.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) was first developed by Ivar Lovaas and Robert Koegel
who were psychologists at the University of California at Los Angeles in the 1970s. While more
researchers and scholars have developed and advanced the ABA therapy, the first approach
advanced by the tow psychologists was the DTT (discrete trial training) and it is still in use
today. It is an incontestable fact that Lovaas is regarded as the founding father of ABA due to the
effectiveness of the early intensive behavior intervention (EIBI).EIBI is simply referred to as the
Lovaas model. Simply put, ABA therapy is based on the premise that good/desirable behaviors
need to be reinforced while the undesirable behaviors are extinguished and/or discouraged
(LaGasse, 2017).
4. Discuss at least one theoretical framework you are considering for your research. How
does it relate to the need for your research topic?
One of the theoretical frameworks I will be using for my research will be; early spotting
of autism in children could intercede in identified early, giving a more favorable
outcome. However, it might be difficult in obtaining the required data that will be used as
evidence that will enable early intervention. Early intervention will be necessary based on
the following assumption that; (i) when this disorder is identified and corrected and/or
EFFECTIVE THERAPHY FOR TREATMENT OF AUTISM
4
intervened early it can yield favorable results. (ii) It is always advisable to try to identify
autism earlier for better results. However, it should be noted that the above assumption is
not a hundred percent and the result may or may not be abstained. The above assumption
will help in determining the best therapy for autism. When this disorder can be identified
and corrected early, this can help in treating this disorder (Danforth et al., 2016).
5. Identify at least one academic journal that specializes in research related to your topic.
How will the journal benefit your research?
The most credible academic journal is Autism. The Journal is published eight times a year
and specializes in academic research touching on autism and other related disorders. The journal
is also interdisciplinary with researchers in diverse disciplines like psychology, neuroscience and
other disciplines contributing articles on autism diagnosis and intervention. This journal will be
relevant to my topic since I am researching effective therapies for the treatment of autism. The
journal is also international and therefore I will be in a position to access diverse research
breakthroughs on the top
References
Hobson, R. P. (2019). Autism and the development of mind. Routledge
Danforth, A. L., Struble, C. M., Yazar-Klosinski, B., & Grob, C. S. (2016). MDMA-assisted
therapy: a new treatment model for social anxiety in autistic adults. Progress in NeuroPsychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, 64, 237-249..
EFFECTIVE THERAPHY FOR TREATMENT OF AUTISM
LaGasse, A. B. (2017). Social outcomes in children with autism spectrum disorder: a review of
music therapy outcomes. Patient related outcome measures, 8, 23.
5
