ASPERGER'S DISORDER / HIGH FUNCTIONING AUTISM
Autism has been declared a national health emergency (Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, 2009) and Asperger’s Disorder/High Functioning Autism (AD/HFA) constitutes the fastest growing segment of this population. Deficits in social skills and difficulties in socialization are core features of AD/HFA and have been associated with challenges in cognitive, social and emotional development. Impairments associated with AD/HFA increase throughout the course of the disorder and are cumulative, beginning in early childhood and continuing into adulthood. Youth with AD/HFA display significant difficulty with conversational pragmatics and social communication. The social awkwardness and deficits in conversational pragmatics interfere with their ability to achieve typical developmental milestones such as establishing satisfying peer relationships.
GROUP SOCIAL SKILLS TRAINING for AD/HFA
During her employment at Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Dr. Bricker conducted a group social skills training program developed by Deborah Beidel, Ph.D. for children with Asperger's Disorder/High Functioining Autism through a grant obtained from Autism Speaks. In her role as Clinical Director of the Anxiety Disorders Clinic at the University of Central Florida, Dr. Bricker served as the project coordinator for a second study funded by Autism Speaks. As project coordinator, Dr. Bricker co-developed and ran a group social skills training program for adolescents with Asperger's Disorder/High Functioning Autism.
The programs Dr. Bricker implements are research-based and include weekly social skills training sessions and community activities designed to enhance the transfer of social skills to "real-life" settings. Group training sessions teach specific skills necessary for effective social interaction, including traditional social skills as well as difficult aspects of social interactions unique to individuals with AD/HFA (e.g., non-verbal social skills, initiating and maintaining conversations, joining groups, friendship establishment and maintenance, and assertion). Dr. Bricker employs traditional behavioral procedures such as modeling, behavior rehearsal, and feedback to enhance skill acquisition.
Autism has been declared a national health emergency (Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, 2009) and Asperger’s Disorder/High Functioning Autism (AD/HFA) constitutes the fastest growing segment of this population. Deficits in social skills and difficulties in socialization are core features of AD/HFA and have been associated with challenges in cognitive, social and emotional development. Impairments associated with AD/HFA increase throughout the course of the disorder and are cumulative, beginning in early childhood and continuing into adulthood. Youth with AD/HFA display significant difficulty with conversational pragmatics and social communication. The social awkwardness and deficits in conversational pragmatics interfere with their ability to achieve typical developmental milestones such as establishing satisfying peer relationships.
GROUP SOCIAL SKILLS TRAINING for AD/HFA
During her employment at Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Dr. Bricker conducted a group social skills training program developed by Deborah Beidel, Ph.D. for children with Asperger's Disorder/High Functioining Autism through a grant obtained from Autism Speaks. In her role as Clinical Director of the Anxiety Disorders Clinic at the University of Central Florida, Dr. Bricker served as the project coordinator for a second study funded by Autism Speaks. As project coordinator, Dr. Bricker co-developed and ran a group social skills training program for adolescents with Asperger's Disorder/High Functioning Autism.
The programs Dr. Bricker implements are research-based and include weekly social skills training sessions and community activities designed to enhance the transfer of social skills to "real-life" settings. Group training sessions teach specific skills necessary for effective social interaction, including traditional social skills as well as difficult aspects of social interactions unique to individuals with AD/HFA (e.g., non-verbal social skills, initiating and maintaining conversations, joining groups, friendship establishment and maintenance, and assertion). Dr. Bricker employs traditional behavioral procedures such as modeling, behavior rehearsal, and feedback to enhance skill acquisition.