Chasen, a drama therapist who runs a non-profit organization aimed at the social and emotional development of children, families, schools, and communities, outlines a 30-session drama therapy program meant to develop social skills in children and adolescents on the autism spectrum. It focuses on the mirror neuron system and acts of play as the key to social connection and interaction. The author details the clinical conditions, possible causes, and various treatments of autism, with an emphasis on recent neurological research; the theory of drama therapy and the concepts, techniques, and developmental considerations for use in the treatment of children with autism; developing a program, including space, materials, and a model for a process-oriented approach to facilitating social development; and the program itself and its implementation for children ages five to 11. The first edition of the book was published in 2011 as Social Skills, Emotional Growth and Drama Therapy. This edition has expanded discussion of the role of neuroscience in drama therapy and the difference between social skills and the process of social emotional development. It incorporates new findings on the potential causes of autism and new discoveries about the role of inflammation, as well as discussion of the changes in autism diagnoses in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. It also includes a chapter on how to run a social emotional development program using drama therapy for teens with autism. Annotation ©2014 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)