ABSTRACT
The educational and treatment program of Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH) has several components. Behavioral management and research are among the most important. Optimum adaptation or socialization happens in two ways. The first component is the skills of the residents: improving the social skills, the communication skills and the adaptive skills. The second part is to modify the environment to accommodate to deficits. Cognitive theory and behavior theory are used together, and part of the training of staff in behavioral management for specific problems can be discussed in terms of an “iceberg” metaphor. The TEACCH clinical staff works on research ideas primarily through annual winter inservice, when entire group of about 120 people, including center therapists, classroom teachers, and group home staff, meet together. Specific techniques have to be evaluated according to a cost-benefit ratio in a nonspecific relationship between teacher/student, doctor/patient and parent/child.
