Seizure-Related Aggression in Autism: A Neuropsychology and Neurophysiology-Informed Framework for Clinical Interpretation

This 2-part on-demand webinar series helps clinicians interpret aggressive episodes in autism that appear sudden, episodic, atypical, or difficult to explain through a standard behavioral framework alone. The training examines how seizure activity, postictal states, autonomic arousal, altered awareness, and neurological dysregulation may sometimes contribute to aggression-like presentations.

Part 1 explores the neuropsychological and neurophysiological mechanisms that may help explain aggressive episodes that appear to occur out of nowhere. The webinar reviews temporal and frontal-limbic systems, seizure semiology, postictal dysregulation, diagnostic overshadowing in autism, and behavior as part of a broader brain-behavior system involving executive control, arousal regulation, memory, awareness, and state-dependent functioning.

Part 2 translates the larger neuropsychology discussion into direct ABA application. Participants will consider what to observe, what to document, and how to adjust FBA, DBA, and BIP development when seizure-related activity, postictal confusion, altered awareness, or neurological dysregulation may be part of the clinical picture.

The series emphasizes careful clinical judgment while remaining within the BCBA role. Participants will learn to look for patterns such as abrupt onset, unusual gaze or movement changes, autonomic signs, confusion, fatigue, recovery periods, and episodes that do not respond as expected to typical behavioral strategies. The focus is on improving documentation, identifying referral triggers, protecting the learner and staff, avoiding inappropriate demand escalation during possible impaired-awareness states, and collaborating effectively with caregivers and medical providers.

Format: 2-part on-demand webinar series
Length: 55 minutes total
CEUs: 1 BACB CEU
Presenter: Dr. Vanetta LaRosa
Audience: BCBAs, BCBA-Ds, BCaBAs, psychologists, educators, clinical supervisors, school-based consultants, interdisciplinary team members, and professionals supporting autistic individuals with complex, episodic, atypical, or difficult-to-interpret aggression

Included Sessions

• Part 1: When Seizure Activity Looks Like Aggression in ASD, 45 minutes
• Part 2: Seizure-Like Aggression in ASD: An ABA Framework, 10 minutes

Learning Objectives

• Identify features of aggression-like episodes that may warrant consideration of seizure activity, postictal states, altered awareness, autonomic arousal, or neurological dysregulation.
• Describe how temporal and frontal-limbic systems, executive control, arousal regulation, memory, and state-dependent functioning may influence atypical aggressive presentations in autism.
• Recognize clinical patterns such as abrupt onset, unusual gaze or movement changes, autonomic signs, confusion, fatigue, recovery periods, and behavior that does not respond as expected to standard behavioral strategies.
• Differentiate behavior that may reflect seizure-related or postictal phenomena from intentional aggression, noncompliance, escape behavior, or emotional outbursts.
• Apply neuropsychology-informed ABA thinking to improve observation, episode documentation, FBA interpretation, DBA development, and BIP planning.
• Identify referral triggers and collaboration points for caregivers, physicians, neurologists, psychologists, educators, and interdisciplinary team members.
• Use ethical, safety-focused strategies when episodes may involve impaired awareness, including avoiding inappropriate demand escalation and protecting the learner, staff, and peers during unclear events.

Disclaimer

This training is for professional education only. Assessment instruments are discussed only at the level of general clinical purpose and treatment-planning implications. No proprietary test items, scoring forms, protocols, stimulus materials, rating-scale items, or administration procedures are reproduced. Participants should consult official publishers, manuals, and professional standards for authorized test administration, scoring, and interpretation.