Parent Training Intervention to Manage Externalizing Behaviors in Children With Autism

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more likely than their typically developing peers to exhibit externalizing behaviors; however, the etiology in children with ASD may be different and related to the core deficits of the disorder. Although parent training interventions have been effective in decreasing externalizing behaviors in typically developing children, the effectiveness in children with ASD has not been established. An in-depth analysis of the child's behavior may provide the foundation upon which to develop an individualized parent training approach. This case study illustrates how a functional assessment interview was used to obtain in-depth information about externalizing behaviors exhibited by a child with ASD who is high functioning and how this information was used to develop an individualized parent training intervention.