Autistic Disorder and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

A Systematic Review of Effective Modifications to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Young People with Autism Spectrum Disorders

“…At this stage, a further 27 studies were excluded from the final review of data for the following reasons. Eight studies were reports of secondary data (Boyd et al 2012;King and Desaulnier 2011;Lang et al 2010;Langdon et al 2013;Reaven 2009, 2011, Reaven et al 2009Rotheram-Fuller and MacMullen 2011;Scattone and Mong 2013), one study (Sze and Wood 2008) was a duplicate that had not been previously filtered out, one (White et al 2013) reported a non-significant effect of the intervention, five studies reported the effects of CBT for core features of ASD rather than mental health symptoms (Drahota et al 2011;Kenworthy et al 2014;Scarpa and Reyes 2011;Wood et al 2009aWood et al , b, 2014 and 12 included (n = 1) designs (Cook et al 1993;Lehmkuhl et al 2008;Nadeau et al 2014;Reaven and Hepburn 2003;Schleismann and Gillis 2011;Wood 2007, 2008) or did not have a comparator group (Reaven et al 2012b;Ooi et al 2008;Ozsivadjian and Knott 2011;White et al 2010;White et al 2009). …”

“…Research would seem to suggest that the underlying cognitive mechanisms and manifestation of OCD, depression and even PTSD are the same in typically developing young people and those with ASD (e.g. Barnhill and Smith Myles 2001;Boyd et al 2012;Cook et al 1993;Ghaziuddin et al 2002;Hedley and Young 2006;Howlin and Clemments 1995;Mehtar and Mukaddes 2011;Whitehouse et al 2009). This suggests that interventions should be tailored to directly target these symptoms and/or disorder-specific manuals should be adapted to treat each separate disorder.…”

A Systematic Review of the Assessment and Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders

“…The age range of the patients was between 6 and 45 years of age, with four papers reporting data in children (Cook et al 1993;Trelles Thorne et al 2015;Harley et al 2014;Mevissen et al 2011) and six in adults (Ryan 1994;Carvill and Marston 2002;Weiss and Lunsky 2010;Kosatka and Ona 2014;Carrigan and Allez 2017;Barol and Seubert 2010). All but one case report (Weiss and Lunsky 2010) detailed clients who had been referred to clinical services for specialist assessment and/or treatment.…”

“…PTSD symptom presentation was detailed in all studies where PTSD was formally diagnosed (Table 2). Five of the studies explicitly specified that diagnosis of PTSD according to DSM or ICD criteria was possible (Ryan 1994;Cook et al 1993;Weiss and Lunsky 2010;Carrigan and Allez 2017;Mevissen et al 2011). Clients were able to report events, symptoms and emotional states and expressed a comparable symptom profile to that seen in the typical developing population.…”

Sexual Abuse in Autistic Children as a Risk Factor of Developing of Schizophrenia

“…Because of their social isolation and poor communication skills, children with autistic spectrum disorders may represent a group at particular risk of physical and sexual abuse (Howlin & Clements, 1995), although the only large-scale, community-based study published in this area found rates of abuse for children with autism similar to those in the general population (Sullivan & Knutson, 2000). For the most part, only case studies have characterized abuse among this group (Cook, Kieffer, Charak, & Leventhal, 1993;Perkins & Wolkind, 1991). The majority of studies of the prevalence and correlates of abuse among children with disabilities were conducted using institutionalized samples, whereas most children with autism are served in the community (Jacobson & Mulick, 2000;Jarbrink & Knapp, 2001).…”