A Few Minutes With Dr. Ruth Aspy & Dr. Barry Grossman, Award Winning Authors of “The Ziggurat Model”

 I first met Ruth and Barry and heard them present on The Ziggurat Model at ASA in Rhode Island two years ago. My immendiate reaction to their presentation was, “These people GET IT!” The more I am around them, the more I am impressed by them.We sure enjoyed spending some quality time with them in Orlando- that’s Jamie with Ruth in the picture. They were kind enough to take time out of their busy schedule to answer a few questions

1. How did each of you begin working in the field of ASD and how did you come to work together?

 Both of us worked as psychologists in the public schools.  We shared many projects and often consulted with each other on challenging cases.  Our roles included working as part of autism evaluation teams, consulting regarding behavior interventions for students with ASD, and training staff to identify and provide services for those students.  While we were working with all students, ASD became our special interest and area of emphasis. 

2. What led to the creation of ‘The Ziggurat Model?’ Have you been at all surprised by its success? We created the Ziggurat Model out of a need that we observed.  As psychologists, we consulted with a number of school staff and parents.  A need for increased knowledge about the characteristics of ASD as well as effective intervention for individuals with ASD was evident. We saw some common pitfalls in the design of interventions for individuals on the spectrum.  Too often students were “blamed” for behaviors directly related to the underlying ASD.  This resulted in punitive responses.  There was also a tendency to put students into settings without adequate support. We sought to give people a process for effective comprehensive intervention planning  

At times, we have been surprised by the positive response.  The Ziggurat seems to have “arrived” at a time when many people were ready for and seeking a framework to provide structure to the intervention process.   We have seen the Model adopted at statewide and province wide levels.  The model has been applied successfully in residential settings, social understanding groups, and parent training.  The applications of the model have definitely gone beyond what we had originally imagined.

3. Who has inspired you? (note:not necessarily just folks related to ASD) Dr. Brenda Myles is an inspiration.  She works tirelessly to make a difference for those with ASD.  Her knowledge is encyclopedic.  Throughout it all, she keeps her sense of humor.   Parents of kids with ASD who not only diligently work to remove obstacles that may impede the success of their children, but who also serve as educators and mentors for the broader autism community are also inspirations to us.  Eric and Jen Blackwell and Kristi Sakai are prime examples.  They are the true experts.

4. Are you currently working on any new projects? We are working with experts in evaluation to write a textbook on interdisciplinary evaluation for diagnosis of ASD.  This is an area that we think is critical.  It is essential that evaluations be conducted by highly trained and experienced professionals working as a team.  Our hope is that this textbook will improve the preparation of professionals who will serve on interdisciplinary teams and as a result more families will have access to quality evaluations. We are also building a private practice in Plano, Texas.  The practice includes a team of professionals from a variety of fields who work together to provide higher quality evaluation and intervention services.

5. Outside of work, how do you enjoy spending time?

We both enjoy spending time with our families and friends.