Outcomes in adults with autism spectrum disorders: A historical perspective

Article and Podcast

From Autism

To celebrate Autism Awareness Month we are highlighting the following article and podcast and offering free access to both. The paper examines the ways in which researchers have defined successful adult outcomes for individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) from the first systematic follow-up reports to the present day. In the podcast the author discusses the co-authored review paper published in volume 17 issue 1 of Autism.

Reviewing patterns of drug epidemics to consider cost effective intervention programs

Drug generations in the 2000s: An analysis of arrestee data

From Journal of Drug Issues 

Much empirical evidence indicates that the popularity of various drugs tends to increase and wane over time producing episodic epidemics of particular drugs. Drug epidemics lead to the rise of drug generations. For the past two decades, drug epidemics have been studied extensively. This article examines the drug generations present in the 2000s among arrestees in the 10 locations served by the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring–II program (ADAM). This article first reviews the drug epidemics framework and then presents how the drug generations framework follows from it. At all 10 locations, the findings show that crack use is still common among older arrestees but not among arrestees born more recently. Marijuana is the drug most common among younger arrestees. Patterns of drug use can have important implications for the development of timely, targeted drug abuse interventions. Drug scholars, analysts and policy makers need to be aware of trends in drug use to develop appropriate and cost effective programs.

Amplifying differences to develop our own identity and mitigate sibling rivalry

Sibling differentiation, identity development, and the lateral dimension of psychic life

From Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association

Last week in UK politics some commentators remarked how “brotherly love took a backseat to a lust for power” as the Miliband brothers competed against each other for the position of Labour party leader. Shortly after Ed took the crown David announced his decision to quit front bench politics. This competition has prompted observations regarding the dynamics of their relationship and inevitably their sibling rivalry.

From the time of Freud onward, the mainstream psychoanalytical view of sibling rivalry is that both are inherent to the human condition and infused with parental dynamics. This article examines sibling differentiation and identity development, recognizing how a child amplifies differences with siblings to reduce rivalry with them. Our relationship with siblings is structured around a particular psychic challenge: to find one’s unique place in a world of similar others.

Examining infidelity: What makes people cheat?

Infidelity Special Issue

From The Family Journal

Top celebrity news items this week include a kiss and tell story by a female escort revealing her affair with footballer Wayne Rooney and the announcement on behalf of Boyzone singer Ronan Keating and his wife of their permanent split, despite attempts to reconcile. Wayne and Ronan are just a couple of many celebrity men to have been caught out having an affair this year, and we are usually left asking why this happens to seemingly smitten couples. This special issue from The Family Journal is devoted to the topic of infidelity. It explores the motivation for cheating behavior for both genders, and its perception across different cultures and religions. This special issue examines the role of couples therapy and family counseling in the treatment and healing process for this act of betrayal.

Loss and grief in young children

From: Young Exceptional Children

Most of us faced with a grieving child are likely to feel quite helpless. At such a difficult time, there is limited research into how best to inform teachers and parents to support a child dealing with loss and grief in sensitive and healthy ways. The response of teachers and parents is important for the child’s positive emotional development and to shape reactions to future loss. This article explores the issue of loss to provide a framework to address the topic.