2014-2015 Presentations
May 27, 2015:
Jeffrey Wood, PhD, Associate Professor in the Division of Human Development and Psychology in the Education Department at UCLA, with a joint appointment in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, presented “Cognitive Behavioral Interventions for Anxiety in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)” to a standing-room only audience. His presentation covered the role of anxiety in ASD, how cognitive behavioral strategies can be used to treat anxiety in people with ASD; and which modifications to typical CBT procedures may improve treatment efficacy in working with people with ASD.
Dr. Wood’s PowerPoint presentation is available here.
May 6, 20015:
Ofer Golan, PhD, Assistant Professor at the Child Clinical Program in the Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Israel, and Clinical Director of the ASD Unit at the Bait Ehad Center, Israel, presented “Using Technology to Facilitate Emotion Recognition in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)” to an engaged audience. His presentation covered the nature of emotion recognition deficits in ASD, hyper-systemizing in ASD and its effect on the affinity individuals with ASD have for technology; and how technology could be used to facilitate emotion recognition in children with ASD, as demonstrated through three intervention effectiveness studies.
Dr. Golan’s PowerPoint presentation is available here.
April 8, 2015:
Dr. Jan Blatcher, Distinguished Professor and UC Presidential Chair of UC Riverside’s Graduate School of Education, and Director of its SEARCH Family Autism Resource Center, presented “Rough Waters or Smooth Sailing? School Adaptation for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)” to a full and inquisitive group. Her presentation covered the educational and legal processes in the transition to early schooling for children on the spectrum; the importance of student-teacher relationships in the adaptation of young children with ASD to school; and academic strengths in young children with ASD that can facilitate adaptation to school
March 11, 2015:
Associate Professor, Dr. Alice Kuo, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, and Health Policy and Management at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine and the Fielding School of Public Health, presented “Leaving the Nest: Transition Challenges for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Other Developmental Disabilities (DD)” to a standing-room only audience. Her presentation covered (1) current outcomes (2) transition resources, and (3) opportunities that can be leveraged to improve transition outcomes for youth with ASD and other DD’s, resources.
Dr. Kuo’s PowerPoint presentation is available here.
February 18, 2015:
Assistant Clinical Professor Dr. Ted Hutman of the UCLA Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Science, UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, and UCLA Center for Autism Research and Treatment (CART), presented “Spared vs. Impaired Social Behavior in Infants Later Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)” to a full room and engaged group. His presentation covered behavioral signs for ASD in infancy, social behaviors not impaired in infants with ASD, and how unimpaired behaviors can aid in treatment.
Dr. Hutman’s PowerPoint Presentation is available here.
January 21, 2015:
Tarjan Center faculty member Dr. Eileen Fowler, Director of Research and Education for the UCLA Center for Cerebral Palsy who holds the Peter William Shapiro Chair, presented “Cerebral Palsy: State of the Science and Current Treatments” to a full room. Her comprehensive presentation covered information that ranged from causes of cerebral palsy to exercise interventions that are beneficial for people with the disability.
Dr. Fowler’s PowerPoint Presentation is available here.
December 10, 2014:
Dr. Mary O’Conner, Tarjan Center faculty and Professor Emeritus at UCLA, who has been researching the impact of prenatal alcohol exposure for decades and is considered one of the world’s leading experts in the syndrome. Dr. O’Conner presented “Forty Years since the Discovery of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Issues of Current Diagnosis and Interventions that Work.”
November 19, 2014:
Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson, Director of Training at the Tarjan Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities at UCLA, and the Founder and Director of the UCLA PEERS® Clinic, an outpatient program providing an evidence-based, parent-assisted social skills intervention for adolescents and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Dr. Laugeson presented “From Play Dates to Romantic Dates: Social Skills Training for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder Across the Lifespan” to a standing room only audience.
Dr. Laugeson’s PowerPoint Presentation is available here.
