The Oxford Handbook of Autism and Co-Occurring Psychiatric Conditions

Co-occurring psychiatric conditions are extremely common among people who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The Oxford Handbook of Autism and Co-Occurring Psychiatric Conditions presents a compilation of the latest research in this area, summarized by internationally renowned experts. Each chapter presents an overview of the problem or disorder including information on prevalence in ASD and in the general public and a synthesis of the research on etiology, diagnostic best practices, and evidence-based intervention approaches. Case studies bring these concepts to life, and each chapter concludes with suggestions for future research directions in order to further develop our scientific and clinical understanding of the particular comorbidity. Given the fact that comorbidity is often a chronic and pervasive concern, this Handbook takes a lifespan approach, with each chapter touching on developmental aspects of the targeted problem, from early childhood through adulthood. The concluding section of the Handbook is comprised of content on clinical considerations and research approaches, including chapters on medications commonly used to treat co-occurring conditions, strategies for managing crisis situations in this clinical population, and community partnerships within an implementation science framework.

About the Author

Susan W. White is Professor and Doddridge Saxon Chair in Clinical Psychology at The University of Alabama, where she directs the Center for Youth Development and Intervention. Her clinical and research interests include development and evaluation of psychosocial treatments that target transdiagnostic processes underlying psychopathology. She has co-authored over 100 peer-reviewed articles and several books and chapters. Her research has been funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development as well as several foundations. Brenna B. Maddox is a postdoctoral fellow and clinical psychologist at the Penn Center for Mental Health, located at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research program focuses on the intersection of autism services and implementation science. Her clinical interests include the assessment and treatment of commonly co-occurring difficulties within autism, such as anxiety and depression, and the community diagnosis of ASD in adults. Dr. Maddox is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders and Autism in Adulthood . Carla A. Mazefsky is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Her research involves investigations of mechanisms underlying emotion regulation, psychiatric and behavioral problems in ASD, and the development of new assessment and treatment approaches. She is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders . She has had federal (National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense, National Science Foundation) and foundation funding for her research, and her research has been recognized by the Ritvo-Slifka Award for Innovation in Autism Research from the International Society for Autism Research.