Improving Conversational Skills of College Students with ASD

Description

Entry to college marks the greatest transition of young adulthood; early adaptations to this new landscape are likely to affect wellbeing during the college years and beyond. Students who exhibit social differences associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder, such as limited or inflexible conversation skills, are especially vulnerable to a poor transition. The college experience of intellectually capable students with ASD is too often characterized by academic failure, conflicts with peers, loneliness, and missed opportunities to prepare for fulfilling work and relationships in adulthood. The purpose of my presentation is to describe research findings and some objective lessons from our recent efforts to assess and treat the social deficits of college students with ASD.

About the Speaker

Dr. Amanda Karsten is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Western Michigan University. She works primarily with WMU students and practicum supervisors who participate in the Extended University (Hybrid) track of the Master of Arts in Behavior Analysis Program. Dr. Karsten has over 16 years of experience practicing ABA and conducting applied research with people diagnosed with autism from early childhood through young adulthood. Prior to joining the faculty of WMU in summer 2017, Dr. Karsten was an associate professor at Western New England University. She currently serves on the editorial board of Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA) and a former Associate Editor for The Analysis of Verbal Behavior (TAVB). Dr. Karsten and her student collaborators have published their research in peer-reviewed journals such as JABA, TAVB, and Behavior Modification.