Evaluation of radically open dialectical behaviour therapy in an adult community mental health team: effectiveness in people with autism spectrum disorders

Abstract

Aims and method Radically open dialectical behaviour therapy (RO DBT) is a transdiagnostic treatment designed to address disorders associated with overcontrol, including autism spectrum disorders (ASD). To date, no studies have reported on the effectiveness of RO DBT for people with ASD. Forty-eight patients were referred to a RO DBT programme, of whom 23 had a diagnosis of ASD. Outcome was measured using the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation – Outcome Measure (CORE) and the Questionnaire about the Process of Recovery. Results The intervention was effective, with a medium effect size of 0.53 for improvement in CORE global distress. End-point CORE global distress score was predicted from initial severity and a diagnosis of ASD. Participants with a diagnosis of ASD who completed the therapy had significantly better outcomes than completing participants without an ASD diagnosis. Clinical implications These findings provide preliminary support for RO DBT as an effective intervention for ASD in routine settings.

A pilot study of dialectical behaviour therapy skills training for autistic adults

“…This adaptation more closely mirrors standard DBT in that it includes individual therapy and group skills training conducted over the course of 30 weeks. Preliminary findings suggest that RO-DBT may be helpful for improving general distress in individuals with ASD (Cornwall et al, 2020), although it should be noted that this study was quasi-experimental (uncontrolled) and attrition rates were quite high (>50%). In addition, and in contrast to standard DBT, RO-DBT was designed to address disorders of overcontrol (e.g.…”

Novel treatments in autism spectrum disorder

“…Recent trials suggest cognitive behavioural therapy may be effective for other mental health symptoms as well, including emotion dysregulation [129]. Several centres are in the process of adapting and testing other psychotherapeutic programs for youth and adults with ASD, based for example, on Dialectical Behavioural Therapy [130,131], or Mindfulnessbased therapy [132].…”

Comportamiento suicida en el trastorno del espectro autista

“…Por otra parte, aunque el enfoque predominante es la terapia conductual cognitiva, en los últimos años se han propuesto otras alternativas convincentes, por ejemplo, la adaptación de la terapia dialéctica conductual en personas con TEA para la regulación de las emociones e intervención de comportamientos suicidas. En ese sentido, un estudio en adultos basado en terapia dialéctica conductual demostró cambios significativos en la angustia global, donde uno de los subdominios de evaluación era el riesgo de daño a sí mismo o a los demás (Cornwall et al, 2020), mientras que otro estudio de intervención grupal evidenció resultados favorables en la regulación de las emociones como un medio para mejorar el comportamiento social, donde se reportaron mejoras significativas en la interacción y comunicación social (Hartmann et al, 2019). Dado el avance de las tecnologías y la ciencia abierta en el mundo de la investigación, actualmente existen protocolos registrados de ensayos clínicos multicéntricos aún en desarrollo.…”