Essential Oils and Aromatherapy: Is There Science Behind That?

Catherine L. McHugh, MA, BCBA, LBA, Stacha C. Leslie, MEd, BCBA, LBA, and Thomas Zane, PhD, BCBA-D Department of Applied Behavioral Science, University of Kansas Current empirically supported treatments for autism (e.g., applied behavior analysis, speech therapy, etc.) can be expensive and time consuming for individuals with autism and relevant stakeholders (i.e., caregivers). Given this,…

Dolphin Assisted Therapy

Dolphin Assisted Therapy Lori Marino, PhD Whale Sanctuary Project & the Department of Animal Studies, New York University David Celiberti, PhD, BCBA-D Association for Science in Autism Treatment Description: Dolphin Assisted Therapy (DAT) is a form of animal‐assisted therapy (AAT) in which children or adults with various conditions interact with or swim with live captive…

Relevant ASAT Articles for Occupational and Physical Therapists

Compiled by Kate McKenna, MEd, MSEd, MS, BCBA and Kristina Gasiewski, MEd, MOTR/L, BCBA Association for Science in Autism Treatment Occupational and physical therapists are important members of the treatment team providing services to individuals on the autism spectrum and their families. In keeping with our mission of promoting effective evidenced-based treatments for individuals with…

Focus on the Treatment Team: Occupational Therapy

Kate McKenna, MEd, MSEd, MS, BCBA and Kristina Gasiewski, MEd, MOTR/L, BCBA Association for Science in Autism Treatment History Occupational therapy (OT) was established in 1917 by six founders of the National Society for the Promotion of Occupational Therapy (NSPOT). This Society was later renamed in 1923 and is currently known as the American Occupational…

A Non-exhaustive List of Previously Published but Relevant ASAT Articles of Interest to Medical Professionals

Isabelle Mawby, BS (4th Year Medical Student) and David Celiberti, PhD, BCBA-D Association for Science in Autism Treatment Countless pediatricians and other medical providers serve the autism community, and the onset of this relationship often predates a diagnosis. Supporting children with autism and their families can be both incredibly rewarding and at times overwhelming. In turn,…

A review of ABAI’s Interprofessional Collaborative Practice Between Behavior Analysts and Speech-Language Pathologists

Mi Trinh, BA, Carolina Arguello, BA, and David Celiberti, PhD, BCBA-D Association for Science in Autism Treatment In November 2020, The Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) shared a resource titled “Interprofessional Collaborative Practice Between Behavior Analysts and Speech-Language Pathologists.” This document was developed by Trina D. Spencer, PhD, BCBA-D, Lina Slim, PhD, BCBA-D, CCC-SLP,…

An Interview with Melmark’s Executive Leadership Team

Interview conducted by Mary Jane Weiss, PhD, BCBA-D Association for Science in Autism Treatment I recently had the opportunity to speak with the Leadership Team at Melmark and ask them some questions about how Melmark delivers services, trains staff, and fulfills its mission.     Questions for Rita Gardner, MPH, LABA, BCBA; President and Chief…

Updated Resources for Promoting Dental Hygiene and Success at the Dentist

Resources for Promoting Success at the Dentist David Celiberti, PhD, BCBA-D, Maithri Sivaraman, MSc, BCBA, and Yash Gupta Association for Science in Autism Treatment Resistance associated with dental visits is an all-too-common challenge for many individuals with (and without) autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Such resistance can lead to the use of restraint or pharmacological management,…