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Behavioural Interventions in Challenging Behaviours

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Psychopathology in Adolescents and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abstract

The prevalence of challenging behaviours and psychopathologies is particularly high in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) both during the developmental and adult age. These two states, often overlapping or confused, produce a significant deterioration of the quality of life of people with autism and their caregivers. Today the scientific evidence we possess does not allow us to cure people with autism, but it significantly reduces both challenging behaviours and psychopathologies by improving not only the subjective well-being of people with ASD, but also their adaptive behaviour and their chances of social inclusion. The chapter will review the most successful methodological approaches to the treatment of challenging behaviours starting from the differential diagnosis of psychopathology and the definition of the problematic nature of challenging behaviours, to the identification of the functional value of behaviour and the most effective treatments.

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Corti, S. et al. (2019). Behavioural Interventions in Challenging Behaviours. In: Keller, R. (eds) Psychopathology in Adolescents and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-26276-1_12

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