Literature Review (Week 8)

                                                                          Hello All,

As the final week is here we have been asked to write a literature review about the sources and research that we have done all session. I really enjoyed doing research on the topic of Autism because it has allowed to get a better understanding of the disorder and the different approaches to treatment in every child and adult. Writing the literature review was not difficult at all, I think to be honest the most difficult part of writing this review was finding the time to sit down and write it. Autism Spectrum Disorder is such a misunderstood disorder that not only confuses people but it also leaves many children un-diagnosed. I was able to answer many of my question while researching Autism, but there is one question that I still was unable to answer..." What happens when some is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder late in life?"

I know that having questions after doing all this research is weird, but don't forget that research is an ongoing endevour.

Research...More and More Research (week 7)

 Hello Everyone!

As the weeks come to an end I have learned a lot from all the research that I have done. Although class is going to end, my research will not. There is always something new that can be learned. I have gained a lot of information about Autism Spectrum Disorder and the treatments; I have learned that Autism Spectrum Disorder is still under examination as to whether or not it is a "real" disorder or not.  I still feel that there is much research to be done, but it cannot happen if don't take into consideration that each person with Autism is different.

Autism is an interesting topic because it is relatively new to the public. I feel that everyone can learn something about working with Autistic children or even just researching Autism themselves. Autism is a disorder that had to do with the development of a child or adult. There are different severity's of the disorder from high functioning to super low functioning. In my line of work I have dealt with every case and have learned that each child has special need that they need help with.

I hope that my blogs have encouraged you to get information on different topics such as Autism.

Research, Research, Research! (Week 6)

Hello Everyone,

I have spent the last six weeks doing research on the topic of Autism and which treatment methods work better when treating children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. I have found that research is easier as it goes, I have learned the different ways of finding appropriate books, articles, and journals that are not only academically acceptable but also fit within the scheme of my topic. Research is a process that one never really figures out because for every topic the amount of time spends on research is different.

As I have mentioned before I currently work as a Behavioral Tutor in which i help redirect and even diminish a child's maladaptive behaviors. This research process has allowed me to see the full spectrum of Autism Spectrum Disorder. What I have learned that was really interesting to me was the fact that many children with Autism also have other disorders, such as Mental Retardation and ADHD. In my line of work research becomes part of the job, with things in the world of psychology constantly changing it is best to keep up with the "new trends."

Research is fun to do even if you are not looking to write a paper. I do research all the time to find out new things about different disorders. I know that when using research for a paper, especially for school or work, it is best to site any information that one takes for the article or source.

Good Luck on your research ventures!

And the Research Continues!! (Week 5)

                                            Hello Everyone,

        Hope that you are all doing well in your research ventures. This week I was to do more research focusing on empirical research journals that have been peer reviewed. This for me was probably the hardest of all the research that I have done thus far. After several hours of research on my topic of Autism I came across a website Hindawi Publishing Corporation, Here i found several articles that discussed the current and past issues of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

      I was shocked to learn while going through the articles that Autism is still under question as to whether or not is a valid or invalid disorder. After countless weeks of research Autism and finding that Behavioral Therapy is the best solution to help children and adults with autism transition into living independent lives, it is just crazy to learn that Autism still remain a question in the world of psychology. I have learned a lot while doing my research and hope to learn much more!

I am going to continue my research on Autism and its validity!

Good Luck !

More Research! Week4

Hello Everyone,

This week we are going to discuss my continued research, but this time I will be discussing how I conducted a search in order to find a journal article that would help with my research on Autism. I have finally narrowed my research topic to focus on Autism: the effectiveness of treatments.

This week I decided that I would try searching for a journal articles using the Google domain. In the search engine I typed in " Autism and effectiveness of treatment," once the search was done I was faced with what looked like thousands of sources, so I decided to narrow my search to scholar websites such as .edu and .org. These sites would best provide the most accurate information I need.

What I found out about Autism and the effectiveness of treatments was mind blowing. I found out that many parents do not know how to get the right they need to help their Autistic child succeed. I learned that the most effective form of treatment is what is called Applied Behavioral Analysis, which is a form or tutoring and therapy to teach the child how to function appropriately according to the situation they are in.
As tutors of ABA they are responsible for teach children with Autism how to do the most basic skills from speaking, cleaning up after themselves, and much more. ABA tutors make learning fun by implementing a token economy and a reward system. Utilizing the child's preferred activity as a reward not only eliminates the hassle of getting a child to cooperate, but it also keeps the child motivated.

As I continue my research I am hoping to learn more about ABA and autism and if there are any new studies that show other forms of therapy help children with Autism.

I am going to continue to find new ways to conduct research and I will keep you posted! Good Luck!

Researching Books (Week 3)

 Autism Spectrum Disorder

Researching a topic takes plenty of time and patience, but sources are more than just journals and articles, true and accurate research includes books! As i mentioned before I was doing research on Autism: what causes Autism, what are the treatments, and more importantly understanding how the disorder works in society and in the home. 

Autism is a misunderstood disorder that often gets misdiagnosed as ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), but Autism is much more than just a disorder its a learning experience. After many hours of research I decided to use the Brandman University Library, where there I typed in the key words of autism and causes. Once the search was complete I found the book Autism Spectrum Disorders: Interventions and Treatments for Children and Youth.  This book was exactly what I was looking for because it not only talked about Autism, but it talked about children and young adults with autism and the best form of treatments for them. 

Finding these books was not easy because I had a list of books on Autism that seemed to never end, but after refining my research many times I finally came across another book named Understanding Autism: From basic Neuroscience to Treatment, by typing in the search engine the keywords of Autism and Treatments. I found this book interesting because it talks about what in the brain causes Autism and how their process of thinking differs from that of a "normal" person. 

The third and final book that I found useful in my research is The Autistic Brain: Thinking Across the Spectrum. This book talks about the brain in a a person who is Autistic and how they should not be identified by their disorder but by who they are aside from their disorder. 

Research can be very intimidating, especially because now-a-days when so much information is readily available with a click of a button, but knowing what sources; books, magazines, journals, and articles; are accurate for your research can be hard to distinguish. I find it most helpful to use keywords when doing research. 

I hope your research goes well. Good Luck!

Don’t underestimate persons with autism, try to understand.

Is research as easy as it looks? (Week 2)

Hello my fellow bloggers!

                Today we are going to talk about research. My question to you, is research as easy as it looks? As we all know research involves dedication to searching for information on a specific topic you wish to know more about. But how do we know if the source is as reliable as they are? This is the very problem that I have when it comes to research for my topic about autism and the different techniques to handle children with autism. I spent countless hours finding different sources about the techniques, but when it comes to their credibility I am unsure of whether the source is “true”.  So I had to rethink my approach to research and found that when you research on Autism it is best to use key works. Instead of typing “techniques for children with autism,” I typed in “Autism techniques” and got more hits from more credible sources.

                Now that I have found a research strategy that seems to be working better, I have begun to learn a lot about autism and how the best way to get help with autistic children is through a tutor who is certified in ABA, applied behavioral analyst.  An ABA specialist is trained in different techniques of behavior, from how to prevent them to how to help diminish the behavior all together. They are trained to handle sever behaviors such as kicking, biting, and hitting. ABA specialists are also trained to help parents understand and develop programs of action to help their child transition in to normal society.

                Autism is a relatively new disorder that is becoming more public, but is still not fully understood. Autism is much greater than just kids with abnormal behaviors, Autism is children having a bright future. 

"If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?"
         -Albert Einstein