Cognitive-Behavioral Approach for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: a Meta-Analysis

Abstract

This meta-analysis examined studies reporting on randomized controlled trials of the use of cognitive-behavioral approaches to intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder. Ten studies involving 402 children were located. The majority of the participants (mean age of 10.5 years) were high functioning, and all full-scale IQ scores reported for the individual participants were at or above 70. All interventions were administered by therapists in clinical settings, and most targeted anxiety and related issues. There was considerable variation in the intervention components used, the total training hours spent, and the modalities and time span over which the interventions were delivered. A large and statistically significant effect size was obtained from the meta-analysis, and extreme care is required in its interpretation because of substantial heterogeneity. There were some concerns about the use of child and parent reports as outcome measures and the quality of some studies. Further research is needed to investigate the feasibility of cognitive-behavioral approaches for low-functioning children with ASD by teachers in school settings.

Cognitive–behavioural approach for children with autism spectrum disorder: A literature review

“…; Dickens et al, 2013;Ho et al, 2010). For example, most of the reviewed studies included parent involvement, which has the potential to moderate intervention effects (Ho et al, 2014), but in various degrees and different forms. Substantial research is needed for a deeper understanding on how the features of the CBA intervention programs moderate intervention effects.…”

“…The findings of two recent reviews suggest that CBA interventions can be effective for children with ASD, particularly for treating anxiety in those who are higher functioning (Danial & Wood, 2013;Ho, Stephenson, & Carter, 2014). Both of these reviews reported that CBA interventions were very diverse in their features, but neither review reported in depth on the variations across intervention studies.…”

“…Both of these reviews reported that CBA interventions were very diverse in their features, but neither review reported in depth on the variations across intervention studies. These reviews are limited in that one is a meta-analysis of effect sizes of randomised controlled trials studies (RCT) only (Ho et al, 2014) and the other provides a narrative summary review of individual interventions for anxiety, disruptive behaviours, and core autism symptoms only (Danial & Wood, 2013). Neither provided systematic examination of the aims of interventions, treatment content, and outcome measures, and the relationships between them, across studies.…”

An Emotional Skills Intervention for Elementary Children with Autism in China: A Pilot Study

“…Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is effective in treating emotional impairments (e.g., anxiety, anger) and improving emotion regulation in individuals with high-functioning ASD (Ho, Stephenson, & Carter, 2013;Lang et al, 2010;Ung, Selles, Small, & Storch, 2015).…”

Outcome measures in intervention trials for adults with autism spectrum disorders; a systematic review of assessments of core autism features and associated emotional and behavioural problems

“…Nevertheless, even within the child ASD intervention literature, commonly used outcome measures (such as changes in IQ, adaptive behaviour and language) are often unrelated to the main focus of treatment, are non-ASD specific, and/or rely on measures developed for individuals without intellectual or developmental disabilities. For example, trials of cognitive-behaviour therapy for children and adolescents with ASD have tended to rely on standardized measures of anxiety and mood that have yet to be evaluated in ASD (Ho et al, 2014).…”