Students of the educational program on the applied analysis of behavior, organized by the Psychology Department of NSU, took a course on their major at Hong Kong branch of 芦Autism Partnership禄. This organization provides assistance for autistic children by using conduct-based approach (the so-called ABA therapy).
芦Autism Partnership禄 is one of the largest and most established Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) service providers for autism spectrum disorders in the world. It is run by professional clinicians and has become a worldwide authority for autism spectrum disorders with branch offices in different countries. AP was founded in the early 1990s by students of Professor Ivar Lovaas fr om UCLA, who dedicated himself to improving the lives of children with autism and their families, brought applied behavior analysis (ABA) to the attention of the general public, and inspired many students and colleagues to join his quest for ever-more effective treatments. He confirmed the efficacy of his treatment through numerous clinical tests. As for partnership with NSU, 芦Autism Partnership禄 had previously sent some experts from its British and Hong Kong offices to conduct a workshop in Akademgorodok in February, 2014. The workshop included some lectures and training on teaching autistic children.
Next, six participants of the project undertook internship in Hong Kong in October 2014, wh ere they went through intensive training on using ABA therapy. The trainer was the Director of Hong Kong branch of 芦Autism Partnership禄 Toby Mountjoy, who is also Regional Director for Autism Partnership-Asia with over 130 staff including psychologists and program therapists in three countries.
The interns got to know the structure of the Hong Kong Center, which provides its services for children and their families for more than 15 years, and having obtained valuable experience of work with autistic children returned to Novosibirsk with an ardent desire to go on with their studies and to apply the skills obtained.
Nadezhda Kondratjeva, one of the course participants, shares her impressions. 鈥滻 was greatly impressed with the general level of the Center, its structure, the system of training specialists, their intense work with children and their highest professionalism. This internship has shown me how to work with children by using ABA and demonstrated the highest professional level that I will try to achieve as a behavior analyst. I am eager to use the knowledge and skills we have gained.鈥� Toby Mounjoy commented that 鈥渢he guests from Novosibirsk took part in a many-hours-long seminar under strict supervision. Their skills of working with children improved dramatically. We were highly impressed with the dedication and energy of the Russian team.鈥�
After the training, NSU representatives observed the work of specialists from 芦Autism Partnership禄 in the Center and in a special school for autistic children during two more days in order to be able to develop this work in Russia.
