Dr. Nathan Lambright Co-authors Article Published in the Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities

“Combining CBT and Behavior-Analytic Approaches to Target Severe Emotion Dysregulation in Verbal Youth With ASD and ID,” co-authored by Nathan Lambright, Psy.D., BCBA-D, Vice President of Clinical Services in Educational Services for May Institute, was recently published in the Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities, the official journal of the National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD). The other co-authors are Veronique Parent, Psy.D., BCBA-D, Kirstin B. Birtwell, Ph.D, and Melanie DuBard, Ph.D., BCBA-D. 

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Authors’ Abstract:
This article presents an individual intervention combining cognitive-behavioral and behavior-analytic approaches to target severe emotional dysregulation in verbal youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) concurrent with intellectual disability (ID). The article focuses on two specific individuals who received the treatment within a therapeutic school setting. The participants presented with severe behavioral challenges, including physical aggression and verbal threats to harm others.
 
Results suggest positive outcomes, including a reduction in the frequency and intensity of severe aggressive behavior and an increase in the use of coping skills, self-advocacy, and social participation. The planning and implementation of specific skills-generalization strategies was one innovative element of the intervention that proved to be pivotal to its successful application.