Esther Ben-Itzchak
Address: 17 Hertzel St. Givaat Shmuel 54012, Israel
Tel:
972-3 5320827
E mail:
benitze@mail.biu.ac.il
Date of birth: 15.12.1955
Family status: married +4
EDUCATION
1977
B.A
Tel Aviv University
Medical school –
“communication disorders” department
1982
Ms.C
Technion - Haifa
Medical school –
Biology of Behavior department
2000
Ph. D.
Bar Ilan University
Education school
Psychophysiological laboratory
2001
Post Doc.
Bar I Ilan university Psychophysiological laboratory
2003,
Autism
Ann – Harbor
2005
diagnostic
University of
Autism center - UMAC
workshops Michigan
Professional Experience
Academic work
2007-
Senior, Head of Communication Disorders department, Ariel
University Center of Samaria
2001-2007
Instructor, School of Education, Bar Ilan University
2001-2002
Instructor – brain science department, Bar Ilan University
1997-2005
Member of the Psychophysics Lab, Department of Psychology,
Bar-Ilan University
1993-2000
Teaching Assistant, School of Education, Bar Ilan University
1982-1992
Teacher, School of Education, Bar Ilan University
Clinical Work
2003-current
Speech Pathologist and Diagnostician, Autism Diagnostic
Center, Assaf – Haropheh Medical Center, Tzrifin, Israel
1985-2002
Speech-Pathologist, Child Developmental Center, Tel
Hashomer Medical Center, Ramat-Gan, Israel
1978-1984
Speech-Pathologist, Department of Communication Disorders,
Tel Hashomer Medical Center, Ramat-Gan, Israel
PRIZES
1980, 1981
Studying scholarship
Technion , Haifa
1996, 1999
Rector prize for excellent students
Bar Ilan University
1999, 2000, 2003 Excellent lecturer
Bar Ilan University
2005
Bar Ilan University
Excellent lecturer (fourth place in
university)
2008
Best research project presentation "variability in intervention outcome
in young children with autism spectrum disorders" – at the Bi-annual
Israeli Child Development Centers annual conference Tel Aviv, Israel
RESEARCH GRANTS
Ben Itzchak, E.,
3,000 $
Israeli Foundation
Ph. D scholarship
Trustee
2001
60,000 $
Koret grant for postdoctoral
2003-2005
23,000 $
Israeli Foundation
Phonological priming affects
Trustee
word reading among normal
and dyslexic Hebrew readers:
Behavioral and
electrophysiological evidence.
2004-2006
$10,000
Education Ministry
Variables affecting outcome
2007-2009
$25,000
Dov Moran Infone
in young children with autism
Chairman, CEO
Intervention outcome and
variables affecting outcome in
very young children with
autism
2008
$5,000
Research authority
Ariel University Center
2009
$5,000
Research authority
Ariel University centre
Two year follow-up in young
children with autism
Pregnancy and birth risk
in autism spectrum disorders
Submitted grants (pending for reply):
Ben Itzchak, E., Zachor D.A., .Dinstein I., Heiman E. –
" EEG abnormalities and clinical subtypes in autism spectrum disorders"
Funding source: "Autism Speaks" ($450000)
Special duties

Member of the editorial board of the "Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders"
Journal.

Reviewer of the "Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry", "Journal of
Autism and Developmental Disorders"; " Israeli Scientific Foundation".
PUBLICATIONS
1.
Pratt, H., Bliech, N., & Berliner, E (Ben-Itzchak). (1982). Short
latency visual evoked potentials in man. Electrophysiology and Clinical
Neurophysiology, 82, 55-62.
2.
Pratt, H., Ben-Itzcahk, E., & Atiass, J. (1984). Auditory potentials
evoked by click not filtered masking noise. Audiology, 23, 380-7.
3.
Zacohr, D. A., Eitan, D., & Ben Itzchak, E. (2003). Early intensive
intervention for young children with autism (1.5-3y) in a unique preschool
setting – outcome after one year. Pediatric Research. Vol. 55, 394A.
4.
Ben Itzchak, E., Babkoff, H. & Faust, M. (2005) Event Related
Potentials (ERP) and behavioral measurements to verbal stimulation of
visual fields, Cortex, 43(4), 511-23
5.
Ben Itzchak, E. & Zachor, D. (2007). The effects of intellectual
functioning and autism severity on early behavioral intervention for children
with autism. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 28 (3) 287- 303.
6.
Ben Itzchak, E. Lahat, A. Rabinovitch, E., D.A. Zachor (2007).
Change in autism core symptoms with intervention. Research in Autism
Spectrum Disorder. 1(4), 304-317.
7.
Zachor, D.A., Ben Itzchak, E. & Lahat, E. (2008). Change in autism
core symptoms after Eclectic Developmental and Applied Behavioral
Analysis interventions. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 29 (5),447458
8.
Ben Itzchak , E. & Zachor. D.A. (2009). Change in autism
classification with early intervention: predictors and outcomes. Research in
Autism Spectrum Disorders, 3, 967-976.
9.
Zachor, D.A., Ben Itzchak, E. (2010). Autism severity and motor
abilities correlates of imitation situations in children with autism spectrum
disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 4(3), 438-443
10.
Zachor, D.A. & Ben Itzchak, E. (2010). Treatment approach, autism
severity and intervention outcomes in young children. Research in Autism
Spectrum Disorders, 4(3), 425-532.
11.
Levy, Y., Ben Bashat, D., Ben Sira, L., Hendler, T., Ben Itzchak, E.,
Kronfeld-Duenias, V., Zachor, D. A. (2010). Abnormal white matter in
language-related
brain
tracts
in
non-verbal
children
with
autism.
International Journal of Child and Adolescent Health, 3(4):135-144.
12.
Weinstein M, Ben-Sira L, Levy Y, Zachor DA, Ben-Itzhak E, Arzi M,
Tarrasch R, Eksteine PM,. Hendler T, Ben Bashat D. (2011). Abnormal
white matter structure in young children with autism. Human Brain Mapping
32 (4):534–543.
13.
Ben Itzchak, E., Zachor, D.A. (2011). Who benefits from early
intervention in autism spectrum disorders? Research in Autism Spectrum
Disorders,5(1), 345-350.
14.
Ben Itzchak, E., Zachor, D.A. (2011). Advanced parental ages and low
birth weight in autism spectrum disorders - rates and effect on functioning.
Research in Developmental Disabilities (accepted )
15.
Chung, K.M., Jung, W., Yang, J., Ben-Itzchak E., Zachor, D. A., Furniss,
F., Heyes, K., Matson8, J. L., Kozlowski, A. M., Barker, A. A (2011). Cross
Cultural Differences in Challenging Behaviors of Children with Autism
Spectrum Disorders: An International Examination between Israel, South Korea,
the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. Research in Autism
Spectrum Disorders (accepted)
16.
Zachor, D. A, Ben-Itzchak, E, Furniss F, Pegg E, Matson J. L,
Horovitz M, Sipes M, Chung K.-M, Jung W & Yang –W (2011). Cross
Cultural Differences in Comorbid Symptoms of Children with Autism
Spectrum Disorders: An International Examination between Israel, South
Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.
Developmental Neurorehabilitation; 1-6.
17.
Matson, J. L., Worley, J. A., Fodstad, J. C., Chung, K.-M., Suh, D.,
Jhin, H. K., Ben-Itzchak, E., Zachor, D. A. & Furniss, F. (2011). A
multinational study examining the cross cultural differences in reported
symptoms of autism spectrum disorders: Israel, South Korea, the United
Kingdom, and the United States of America. Research in Autism Disorders
5:1598-1604. (Special Education 2/30; IF -3.7)
18.
Zachor, D. A & Ben-Itzchak, E. (2011). Assisted reproductive
technology and risk for autism spectrum disorder. Research in
Developmental Disabilities. in press (I.F: 4.475)
PRESENTATIONS
1. International conference on Psychology - Haifa University (2000). ERPs
correlates to verbal stimulation of visual fields- lecture
2. Special Education Department – Bar ilan University and Education Ministry
(2004). “Phonological priming affects word reading among normal and
dyslexic Hebrew readers – ERPs and behavioral correlates”. lecture
3. Neuro-pediatrics international conference, India (2004) “Behavioral
intervention outcome in young children with autism”. Poster
4. IMFAR conference (2005) “Variables Affecting Outcome in Young Children
with Autism Spectrum Disorder after One Year of Intensive Behavior
Intervention”. - Poster
5. Occupational Therapy – Tel Aviv University (2005)– “Autism – Up to date
issues in autism diagnosis”- Lecture
6. ALUT conference (2006). “The effects of intellectual functioning and autism
severity on early behavioral intervention for children with autism”- Lecture
7. Fourth International Conference on developmental Disabilities- policy,
practice and research- Beit Issie Shapiro (2006). “Intervention Outcome in
young children with autism- Developmental Eclectic vs. Applied Behavior
Analysis approaches”. Lecture
8. The International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR) meeting(2006),
Boston, MA, USA – "Intervention Outcome in young children with autism" –
presented lecture
9. The International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR) meeting(2007),
Seattle, USA – Cognitive – behavioural correlates and their relations to
intervention outcome in young children with autism" - poster
10. Autism Europe- 8th international congress (2007), August, Oslo, Norway –
"Change in Core Autism Symptoms with Intervention -Two Years Follow-up"
poster + lecture
11.
The International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR)
meeting(2008), London, UK "predictors to outcome in intervention of young
children with autism" – presented lecture
12.
The Israeli Child Development Association conference (2008), Tel
Aviv, Israel – Variability in Intervention outcome in young children with
autism. – oral presentation - first best research prize.
13.
The International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR) meeting, Chicago,
(2009), USA – poster –"Change in autism classification with early intervention:
predictors and outcomes".
14. Communication Disorders department, continuing studies, Tel Aviv university
(2009)- " New horizons in autism diagnosis"
15. The Israeli Speech Hearing and Language Association (ISHLA) Meeting, Tel
Aviv (2009), Israel - oral presentation- Variability in outcome after intervention
in young children with autism
16. The International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR) meeting, Philadelphia,
(2010), USA – oral presentation
- In vitro fertilization and prematurity are
prenatal risk factors associated with autism spectrum disorder but are not
associated with autism severity
17. The International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR) meeting, Philadelphia.,
(2010), USA – poster - Male:Female ratio is related to autism spectrum disorder in
the family and to maternal age.
18. The International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR) meeting, Philadelphia.
(2010), USA – poster- Imitation abilities in children with ASD correlate with
autism severity but not with motor skills
19. Icare4autism international meeting, Jerusalem Israel (2010) – oral presentation –
Who are the children that benefits more from early intervention in autism
spectrum disorders?
20. IX International Congress Autism Europe – Catania Sicily (2010): Poster + oral
presentation: Male-female ratio is related to Autism Spectrum Disorders in the
family and to maternal age
21. IX International Congress Autism Europe – Catania Sicily (2010): Poster + oral
presentation: In vitro fertilization and prematurity are prenatal risk factors
associated with Autism Spectrum Disorders.
22.
The Israeli Child Development Association conference (2010), Jerusalem,
Israel – Special abilities in children with ASD – oral presentation
23.
The Israeli Child Development Association conference (2010), Jerusalem, Israel:
0ral presentation: Imitation abilities in children with ASD
24. The Israeli Child Development Association conference (2010), Jerusalem, Israel:
0ral presentation: Risk factors in ASD in an Israeli cohort
25. The Israeli Child Development Association conference (2010), Jerusalem, Israel:
poster: Male:Female ratio is related to autism spectrum disorder in the family and
to maternal age
26. The International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR) meeting, San Diego.
(2011), USA – poster: Children with autism spectrum disorders with "special
abilities" represent a unique clinical subgroup
27. The International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR) meeting, San Diego.
(2011), USA – poster: medical problems co-occur with autism spectrum disorders
and affect the clinical presentation