Promoting Desired Lifestyles Among Adults With Severe Autism and Intellectual Disabilities

Association of American Publishers (AAP) PROSE Award Winner in Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry, 2024

The degree to which adults with severe autism and intellectual disabilities experiences desired lifestyles often is heavily dependent on supports and services provided by human service agencies. Promoting Desired Lifestyles Among Adults With Severe Autism and Intellectual Disabilities: Person-Centered Applications of Behavior Analysis describes how desired of individual adults can be accurately identified and supports and services provided in accordance with those desires. Focusing on person-centered applications of behavior analysis, procedures are presented for human service staff to develop good relationships with individuals, provide routine choice opportunities and ensure access to preferences, teach individuals to exert control over their daily lifestyles, overcome challenging behavior in acceptable ways, and treat individuals with dignity. The goal is to ensure individuals achieve lifestyles they personally desire and experience day-to-day happiness.