Teaching Children with Autism to Mind-Read - by Patricia Howlin & Simon Baron-Cohen & Julie A Hadwin (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Das erste praxisorientierte Buch über die Anwendung der "Gedankentheorie" bei Kindern mit Autismus. Der Schwerpunkt liegt auf der wirkungsvollen Behandlung sozialer und kommunikativer Abnormitäten bei Kindern mit Autismus mit Hilfe der Gedankentheorie (auch als "Gedankenlesen" bezeichnet). Hier geht es um die Fähigkeit, den Gemütszustand (Gedanken, Einstellungen, Wünsche, Absichten etc.) anderer zu erfassen und die Fähigkeit, mit dieser Information zu ergründen, was sie sagen wollen, ihr Verhalten sinnvoll zu deuten und vorauszusagen, was sie als nächstes tun werden. Ein unverzichtbares Buch für alle, die in diesem Bereich arbeiten. (01/98)

From the Back Cover

The difficulties experienced by children with autism and related conditions in inferring the thoughts, beliefs, desires and intentions of others are well documented in numerous studies. It now seems that these deficits underlie many of the social and communication problems that are characteristic of autism. Teaching Children with Autism to Mind-Read explores the relationship of "theory of mind" deficits to other areas of children's functioning and describes existing experimental work that has attempted to enhance the skills associated with understanding others' minds. Drawing on their own intervention programme, and providing detailed information about the teaching materials and strategies they use, the authors provide practical guidelines for helping children with autism spectrum conditions to improve their understanding of beliefs, emotions and pretence. The authors tackle specific problematic issues including
* how to interpret facial expressions
* how to recognise feelings of anger, sadness, fear and happiness
* how feelings are affected by what happens and what is expected to happen
* how to see things from another person's perspective
* how to understand another person's knowledge and beliefs
This easy-to-follow graded teaching guide is of particular relevance to special needs teachers, educational and clinical psychologists, speech and language therapists, and carers of children with autism spectrum conditions.

Review Quotes

"... is highly recommended for teachers, speech and language clinicians, psychologists and others who work with more able children with autism." (Child Psychology Psychiatry, Vol 41/8, 2000)

"... a valuable book for anyone working with children and even adults on the autistic spectrum." (RCSLT Bulletin, 2000)

About the Author

Patricia Howlin is Principal Clinical Psychologist at the Maudsley Hospital, London, working mainly with autistic children and those suffering from pervasive developmental disorders. She is also Senior Lecturer in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology at the Institute of Psychiatry, London. She has been involved in research and treatment with autistic children for many years. Her research interests include a follow-up study of autistic individuals, and a comparison of young autistic adults and a matched group of individuals with severe early language delays.

Simon Baron-Cohen is Professor of Developmental Psychopathology and Director of the Autism Research Centre at Cambridge University, UK, and one of the co-discoverers of the 'theory of mind' deficit in autism. His books include Mindblindness (1995); The Essential Difference (2003); and Autism and Asperger Syndrome: The Facts (2009).

Julie A. Hadwin is Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Southampton. She has used cognitive models to study emotional disorders in childhood and has written several seminal papers to understand attention to threat in childhood anxiety. Her publications include Teaching Children with Autism to Mind-Read (with Patricia Howlin and Simon Baron-Cohen, Wiley, 1999).