ABACLive Webinar with Dr. Robert LaRue
Presented through the ABACLive Cambridge Center Series. Helping those who help others, one live webinar at a time.
CCBS Advisor Robert H. LaRue, PhD, BCBA-D, LBA-NJ, presents “The Importance of Integrating Choice Into the Lives of Adolescents and Adults Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder“
Thursday, February 5, 2026
5:30 pm – 8:30 pm (Eastern/NY)
Recordings available until 02/20/26
This event is FREE for the general public. Or available for a discounted price with:
This Program is Approved for the Following CE Credit Types:
- 0.3 IACET CEUs
- 3.0 BACB CEUs: Ethics
- 3.0 QABA CEUs
- 3.0 IBAO CEUs: Ethics
- See more information below or brochure for ACE Provider Statements.
Register on ABAC Website – FREE (NO CEs)
Register on ABAC Website to Earn Continuing Education
Abstract
The ability to make meaningful choices is a fundamental right, yet individuals with autism often experience limited opportunities for choice in daily life. This live presentation examines the ethical importance of integrating choice into programming while balancing habilitation goals that promote long-term independence.
The ability to make choices is a right most of us take for granted. The opportunity to choose among different activities, such as reading a book or exercising, has traditionally been a right reserved for those who are “neurotypical”. Unfortunately, individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) often have limited opportunities to make choices in their daily lives. While practitioners have an ethical obligation to encourage choice-making in this population, we are also tasked with addressing important habilitation goals that will increase their independence in the future. Ethical issues often arise when providing opportunities to make choices conflicts with our obligation to teach important (yet non-preferred) skills. For instance, autistic students/clients may make impulsive choices (i.e., selecting smaller-sooner rewards over larger-delayed rewards) or may choose not to complete important tasks, even if the acquired skills would lead to beneficial outcomes in the long term (e.g., brushing their teeth, exercising). These issues become even more pronounced as this population ages and becomes more challenging to intervene with. The purpose of the current presentation is to describe the importance of integrating choice into programming. In addition, the presentation will describe some of the factors that influence choice-making in individuals with ASD and share some strategies that may afford these individuals opportunities to make choices while addressing important habilitation goals.
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this event, participants should be able to:
- Identify reasons why it is ethical practice to ensure that adults and adolescents with autism or related disorders have ample opportunities to make choices.
- Identify the variables that affect choice-making in ASD populations.
- Identify examples and non-examples of individuals diagnosed with ASD may engage in temporal discounting when given choices.
- Select strategies for influencing choice through the use of economic manipulations.
Presenter Bio:
Dr. LaRue is a Clinical Professor at the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology (GSAPP) at Rutgers University. He earned a dual doctorate in biological and school psychology from Louisiana State University in 2002. He completed his predoctoral internship with the Kennedy Krieger Institute at Johns Hopkins University and a postdoctoral fellowship with the Marcus Institute (now the Marcus Autism Center) at Emory University. He currently serves as the Director of Behavioral Services at the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center (DDDC) and the Rutgers Center for Adult Autism Services (RCAAS), where he provides consultative support for students and staff providing intensive behavioral services to students and adults within the Centers. His research interests include the assessment and treatment of maladaptive behavior, improving transitional outcomes for adolescents and adults with ASD, the use of behavioral economics in intervention, and the evaluation of psychotropic medications used with at-risk populations. He has authored articles in peer-reviewed journals, written several book chapters, and presented at national and international conferences.
*This event is FREE for the general public. For those that want a certificate of completion for continuing education credits please purchase the discounted CEs. Register on ABAC Website – FREE (NO CEs)
This event is being offered at the discounted ABACLive Cambridge Center Series price for CEUs (Learning). Behavior Analysts may earn continuing education for viewing the live event or recording. Behavior Analysts: 3 CEUs (Learning) Register on ABAC Website to Earn Continuing Education
The ABACLive Cambridge Center Series of webinars are presented by Board of Directors, Trustees, Advisors, Senior Fellows of the prestigious Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies.
The ABACLive Cambridge Center Series is the result of a collaboration between The Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies (CCBS) and The Applied Behavior Analysis Center, Inc (ABAC) designed to make behavioral health education accessible to the global community of professionals working to make a positive difference in the lives of others.
Register on ABAC Website – FREE (NO CEs)
Register on ABAC Website to Earn Continuing Education
Go to ABAC Website for ongoing continuing education opportunities.