The adult outcomes for individuals with autism spectrum and related disorders remain persistently poor across virtually every measured domain. Employment rates, independent living, community participation, social relationships, and overall quality of life consistently fall well below the outcomes achieved by both neurotypical peers and individuals with many other disability categories.
Provider: BehaviorLive — via Oregon Association for Behavior Analysis
Take This Course →Including ethics, supervision, and topics like this one. New live CEU every Wednesday.
Join Free →Given the consistent demonstration of poor adult outcomes for learners with autism spectrum and related disorders, significant changes are needed. If desired improvements to outcomes are to be realized, it is critical that goals written and interventions prescribed prior to the transition to adulthood are meaningful. This presentation will provide an overview of adult outcomes, factors that affect these outcomes, and the magitude of change that is needed to make signifcant improvements in this area.This presentation will also provide a framework for practitioners to improve outcomes guided by three ethical themes that align with the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts. The goal is to empower practitioners to contribute meaningfully to enhancing outcomes for individuals in adulthood specifically through clinical practice, as well as within training, supervision, advocacy, and research.
| Certification Body | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|
| BACB® | 2 | Ethics |
Shanna Bahry, Ph.D., BCBA-DDr. Bahry is a board-certified, doctoral-level behavior analyst (BCBA-D), and licensed behavior analyst in Massachusetts (LABA) and Rhode Island (LBA). She has been working with individuals with autism spectrum and related disorders for over 15 years in a variety of settings. Dr. Bahry received her PhD in applied behavior analysis from Endicott College, under the advisement of Dr. Peter Gerhardt. She has authored several publications and presented nationally and internationally within the areas of adaptive behavior programming leading to optimal outcomes in adulthood, including teaching practitioners the skills needed to target meaningful goals with effective and efficient teaching methodologies. Dr. Bahry currently serves as the Executive Director of Meaningful HOPE, an agency committed to helping practitioners and families best support individuals with disabilities in preparing for a meaningful life in adulthood. She is also an Adjunct Professor at Endicott College’s Institute for Applied Behavioral Sciences.
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All behavior-analytic intervention is individualized. The information on this page is for educational purposes and does not constitute clinical advice. Treatment decisions should be informed by the best available published research, individualized assessment, and obtained with the informed consent of the client or their legal guardian. Behavior analysts are responsible for practicing within the boundaries of their competence and adhering to the BACB Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts.