This invaluable, two-volume reference work brings readers up to date on the abundance of research conducted and published since the previous edition. Providing a comprehensive review of all information presently available about autism and pervasive developmental disorders, this set explores findings and clinical experience from a number of related disciplines such as psychiatry, psychology, neurobiology, pediatrics, and more. The Handbook covers descriptive and diagnostic characteristics, biological contributions, intervention techniques, as well as legal and social issues. The Fourth Edition includes new research on genetics,neurobiology, and brain imaging, as well as new coverage of sophisticated methods of screening and assessment.

Fred R. Volkmar, M.D. is Irving B Harris Professor of Child Psychiatry, Pediatrics, and Psychology at the Yale Child Study Center where he directs the autism research program. He is an associate editor of the Journal of Autism and the American Journal of Psychiatry. He is the author of several hundred scientific papers and chapters as well as a number of books including A Practical Guide to Autism: What Every Parent, Teacher and Family Members Needs to Know.

Rhea Paul, PhD, CCC-SLP, is Founding Director of the Department of Speech-Language Pathology at Sacred Heart University, an affiliate at Haskins Laboratories, Editor of the Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, and Past President of the Connecticut Speech, Language, and Hearing Association. She has been Principal Investigator on research projects on language disorders and autism funded by many associations, including the National Institute of Child Health and Development. She received the 2010 Inaugural Ritvo/Slifka Innovative Clinical Research Award from the International Society for Autism Research and has been a Fellow of the American-Speech-Language Hearing Association since 1991.

Sally J. Rogers, Ph.D., UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute. Her clinical interests include early intervention for children with autism and social skills groups for autistic adults. She serves on the editorial board of many publications, including the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

Kevin A. Pelphrey, Ph.D., is the Harris Associate Professor of Child Psychiatry and director of the Child Neuroscience Laboratory at the Yale Child Study Center.

Volume One: Diagnosis, Development, and Brain Mechanisms

Section I: Diagnosis, Epidemiology, Course

1. Autism and the Autism Spectrum: Diagnostic Concepts

Fred R. Volkmar, Brian Reichow, Alexander Westphal & David S. Mandell

2. The Broader Autism Phenotype

Brooke Ingersoll & Allison Wainer

3. Epidemiology of Autism Spectrum Disorders

Alison Presmanes Hill, Katharine Zuckerman & Eric Fombonne

4. Outcomes in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Patricia Howlin

Section II: Development and Behavior

5. ASD in Infants and Toddlers

Katarzyna Chawarska, Suzanne Macari, Fred R. Volkmar, So Hyun Kim &

Frederick Shic

6. School-Age Children with ASD

Nirit Bauminger-Zviely

7. Issues and Interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorders during Adolescence

and Beyond

Lynn Kern Koegel, Robert L. Koegel, Amber R. Miller & Whitney J. Detar

8. Adults with Autism

Carla A. Mazefsky & Susan W. White

9. Social Development in Autism

Naomi Ornstein Davis & Alice S. Carter

10. Language and Communication in Autism

So Hyun Kim, Rhea Paul, Helen Tager-Flusberg & Catherine Lord

11. Play Development in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Skills,

Object Play, and Interventions

Connie Kasari & Ya-Chih Chang

12. Imitation in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Giacomo Vivanti & Antonia Hamilton

13. Neuropsychological Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorders

Katherine D. Tsatsanis & Kelly Powell

14. Autism and Emotion

R. Peter Hobson

15. Motor Control and Motor Learning Processes in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Stefanie Bodison & Stewart Mostofsky

16. Sensory Features in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Grace T. Baranek, Lauren M. Little, L. Diane Parham, Karla K. Ausderau &

Maura Sabatos-DeVito

Section III: Neurobiology and Medical Issues

17. Genetics of Autism Spectrum Disorders

Michael Rutter & Anita Thapar

18. Environmental Factors in the Preconception and Prenatal Periods in Relation

to Risk for ASD

Irva Hertz-Picciotto, Kristen Lyall & Rebecca J. Schmidt

19. Biochemical Biomarkers for Autism Spectrum Disorder

George M. Anderson

20. The Social Neuroscience of Autism Spectrum Disorder

James C. McPartland, Rachael M. Tillman, Daniel Y.-J. Yang, Raphael A.

Bernier & Kevin A. Pelphrey

21. The Neuropathology of Autism

Manuel F. Casanova

22. Medical Care in Autism and Related Conditions

Fred R. Volkmar, Justin Rowberry, Oana De Vinck Baroody, Abha Gupta,

Jennifer Leung, Judith Meyers, Nita Vaswani & Lisa Wiesner

23. Psychopharmacology

Lawrence Scahill, Caitlin S. Tillberg & Andrés Martin

Volume Two: Assessment, Interventions and Policy

Section IV: Assessment

24. Screening for Autism in Young Children

Lisa V. Ibañez, Wendy L. Stone & Elaine E. Coonrod

25. Diagnostic Instruments in Autistic Spectrum Disorders

Catherine Lord, Christina Corsello & Rebecca Grzadzinski

26. Clinical Evaluation in Multidisciplinary Settings

Fred R. Volkmar, Leah Booth, James C. McPartland & Lisa Wiesner

27. Assessing Communication in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Rhea Paul & Donia Fahim

28. Behavioral Assessment of Individuals with Autism: Current Practice and

Future Directions

Michael D. Powers, Mark J. Palmieri, Shaunessy M. Egan, Jessica L. Rohrer,

Elizabeth Nulty & Solandy Forte

Section V: Interventions

29. Interventions for Infants and Toddlers at Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder

Sally J. Rogers & Laurie Vismara

30. Comprehensive Treatment Models for Children and Youth with Autism

Spectrum Disorders

Samuel L. Odom, Brian Boyd, Laura J. Hall & Kara A. Hume

31. Targeted Interventions for Social Communication Symptoms in Preschoolers

with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Kristen Bottema-Beutel, Paul Yoder, Tiffany Woynaroski & Michael Sandbank

32. Augmentative and Alternative Communication

Pat Mirenda

33. Interventions for Challenging Behaviors

Robert E. O’Neill, William R. Jenson & Keith Radley

34. Supporting Mainstream Educational Success

Elizabeth Schoen Simmons, Elizabeth Lanter & Megan C. Lyons

35. Supporting Inclusive Education

Megan P. Martins, Sandra L. Harris & Jan S. Handleman

36. Promoting Recreational Engagement in Children with Autism Spectrum

Disorder

Marie-Christine Potvin, Patricia A. Prelock, Laurie Snider &

Liliane Beaudoin Savard

37. Social Skill Interventions

Scott Bellini, Lauren Gardner & Kimberly Markoff

38. Employment and Related Services for Adults with ASD

Peter F. Gerhardt, Frank Cicero & Erik Mayville

39. Beyond Academic Intelligence: Increasing College Success for Students on

the Autism Spectrum

Christine Wenzel & Jane Thierfeld Brown

40. Supporting Parents, Siblings, and Grandparents of People with Autism

Spectrum Disorders

Kate E. Fiske, Lauren Pepa & Sandra L. Harris

41. Supporting Adult Independence in the Community for Individuals with

High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders

James W. Loomis

42. Evidence-Based Psychosocial Interventions for Individuals with Autism

Spectrum Disorders

Brian Reichow & Erin E. Barton

Section VI: Social Policy Perspectives

43. Autism across Cultures: Perspectives from Non-Western Cultures and

Implications for Research

Megan Freeth, Elizabeth Milne, Elizabeth Sheppard & Rajani Ramachandran

44. Developing and Implementing Practice Guidelines

Iain McClure

45. Autism in the Courtroom

Gary S. Mayerson

46. Alternative Treatments

Tristram Smith, Leona Oakes & Katelyn Selver

47. Preparing Teachers and Professionals

Ruth Blennerhassett Eren & Mark P. Groskreutz

48. Economic Aspects of Autism

Martin Knapp & Ariane Buescher

49. Translating Research into Effective Social Policy

Peter Doehring

50. Autism in Retrospect and Prospect

Fred R. Volkmar