Right from the Start: Behavioral Intervention for Young Children with Autism, 2nd edition (2007)

Sandra L. Harris and Mary Jane Weiss
Woodbine House, Inc. 6510 Bells Mill Road Bethesda, MD, 20817
175 pages
$18.95
ISBN: 978-1-890627-80-5

This book has been written for both parents and professionals, but its primary goal is to educate parents about Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and about the importance of having early, intensive behavior management included in treatment programs for young children with autism. It is written in an easy-to-read format and includes case studies, charts, tables and checklists for parents. It briefly discusses the research which supports the effectiveness of ABA and provides an overview of how a program using its format would run.

In addition to discussing the benefits of early behavioral intervention, this book explores the benefits and shortcomings of various models of service delivery, including home-based, school-based and centre-based intervention programs. Within these models, the authors have highlighted what they believed to be the hallmarks of quality intervention programs and the social, language and play skills that should be targeted.

This book is a good resource for parents or professionals new to the area of behavioural intervention and for those that are interested in learning specifically about Applied Behavior Analysis. Occupational therapists may find this book to be very narrow in focus and will note that it does not discuss other models/methods of intervention for young children with autism or the shortcomings of ABA-type programs.

Kim Marion