Mental health problems commonly co-occur with ASD, yet these problems often go untreated. This Masterclass offers both clinicians and researchers the opportunity to update their knowledge of the evidence-base and its implications for best-practice. This CPD training day is part of ACAMH’s ‘Masterclass Series’. The ‘Masterclass Series’ delivers advanced, evidence-based training for those working in CYP mental health, to build upon their skills, knowledge and experience. They are interactive sessions, consisting of a series of lectures delivered by world-renowned experts in the field who focus on the latest research, and the implications for best-practice.
Quick links about the event
Key takeaways
About the day
About the speakers
Programme
Slides
Key takeaways
- Update your understanding of the prevalence and phenomenology of mental health problems in ASD
- Improve your knowledge of evidence-based interventions for mental health problems in ASD; including the most recent RCT-evidence relating to CBT-based approaches
- Increase your confidence when considering how best to combine medication and psychological therapy for those with ASD
- Recognise that the development of sexuality and sexual orientation in those with ASD is often different to neurotypical development, and discuss the implications for best-practice
About the day
Mental health problems commonly co-occur with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and yet these problems often go untreated. This can be due to a number of factors including diagnostic overshadowing and difficulty recognising and assessing these problems. There is now good research evidence demonstrating the high prevalence rates – and sometimes atypical phenomenology – of mental health problems in ASD, and in recent years a number of randomised controlled trials have been published, primarily using a cognitive-behavioural treatment packages, with promising results.
The day will focus on identification and treatment of the mental health problems associated with ASD. As a part of this, we will discuss theoretical knowledge about autistic thinking and processing styles that can pre-dispose young people with ASD to problems of anxiety or depression, and think about how this knowledge can inform interventions.
The emphasis of this Masterclass will be on interactive learning using group exercises, and numbers are kept low to encourage discussion and sharing of experience and ideas.
About the speakers
Principal Clinical Psychologist at Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Guy’s and Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
Ann trained in clinical psychology at Oxford and is now an honorary principal clinical psychologist at the Evelina London Children’s Hospital, honorary researcher at King’s College London and is also an independent practitioner. Ann worked in the Complex Paediatric Neurodevelopmental Disability Service at the Children’s Neurosciences Centre, Evelina London Children’s Hospital (Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust) for 16 years. Her clinical and research interests include the assessment and treatment of mental health difficulties in ASD, cognitive pathways to anxiety in ASD, and also working with girls and women on the autism spectrum.
Programme
09.30 Welcome address
09.45 Mental health problems in ASD: prevalence, phenomenology
10.15 Current conceptualisations of anxiety, depression, and suicide in ASD
11:00 Break
11:15 Complex mental health problems in ASD
11:45 Assessment and formulation
12:30 Group exercise
13:00 Lunch
13:45 Medication and liaison role
14:45 Adapting CBT for ASD
15:30 Break
15:45 Assessment and treatment of lower-functioning children
16:30 Discussion
17:00 Close
Slides
Slides will be available for download when we receive them. Slides are password protected.
MH Problems and pathways integrated 2019
Treatment for anxiety in minimally verbal children
Assessment and formulation, integrating mental health 2019
Adapting psychological therapies 2019
Psychopharmacology interventions in ASD ACAMH masterclass Dr Osman Malik Nov 2019