The Second Edition of this major reference work expands its coverage and continues to break new ground as an electronic resource for students, educators, researchers, and professionals. Comprehensive in breath and textbook in depth, the Second Edition of the Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders  serves as a reference repository of knowledge in the field as well as a regularly updated conduit of new knowledge long before such information trickles down from research to standard textbooks.  The Second Edition of the Encyclopedia digests and presents new and updated information for readers who need to stay current with the latest research and clinical practices, including advances in neurobiology and genetics, diagnostic instruments and assessment tests, pharmaceutical treatments, and behavioral, speech and language, and other rehabilitative therapies. The Second Edition of the Encyclopedia covers topics across the following major conceptual areas of ASD andPDDs, including:  Research trends and findings  Behavior/speech  Communication  Treatments Education  Taking advantage of the techniques offered by the electronic medium, the Second Edition of the Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders  offers an extensive cross-referencing system facilitating search and retrieval of information. This unique, comprehensive Second Edition of the Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders  is an essential reference for advanced undergraduate and graduate students as well as researchers, professors, clinicians, and other practitioners across such related disciplines as developmental psychology, child and adolescent psychiatry, social work, child and school psychology, behavioral therapy, and sociology of education.