1. Laushey KM, Heflin LJ, Shippen M, Alberto PA, Fredrick L. {{Concept Mastery Routines to Teach Social Skills to Elementary Children with High Functioning Autism}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2009 (May 27)

Children with autism are included in general education classrooms for exposure to appropriate social models; however, simply placing children with autism with typical peers is insufficient for promoting desired gains in social skills. A multiple baseline design was used to explore the effects of concept mastery routines (CMR) on social skills for four elementary-age boys with high functioning autism. Visual and non-parametric analyses support the conclusion that small group instruction with typical peers via the CMR was effective for increasing responses, initiations, and recognition of emotional states. The skills taught in small groups generalized when the visual strategy of the completed concept diagram was taken to another setting. Most importantly, the four boys experienced improved social status following intervention.

2. Oppenheim D, Koren-Karie N, Dolev S, Yirmiya N. {{Maternal insightfulness and resolution of the diagnosis are associated with secure attachment in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders}}. {Child Dev};2009 (Mar-Apr);80(2):519-527.

In the current study (a) maternal insightfulness into the experience of the child and (b) resolution with respect to the child’s diagnosis and their associations with children’s security of attachment were examined in a sample of 45 preschoolers (mean age = 49 months) with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). It was hypothesized that mothers who were insightful and resolved would be more likely to have securely attached children than mothers who were neither insightful nor resolved. The findings supported this hypothesis. The implications of insightfulness and resolution for child attachment in the context of ASD are discussed.