Mothers as Effective Therapists for Autistic Children's Phobias

Abstract

Two autistic children were treated for specific fears. A three-component participant modeling procedure was implemented within a multiple baseline design across subjects. Children were exposed gradually to fearful situations, with mothers serving as therapists and reinforcers. Dependent measures were (a) number of approach steps completed, (b) frequency of verbalizations and vocalizations of fear, and (c) overall appearance of fear. Following treatment, the children functioned effectively in previously fearful situations without verbalizations or appearance of fear. Five-month and 1-year follow-up assessments with 1 child showed maintenance of treatment effects.

The Fears, Phobias and Anxieties of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Down Syndrome: Comparisons with Developmentally and Chronologically Age Matched Children

“…Children with ASD were reported to be more fearful of specific situations and medical fears compared to all other groups. These findings are consistent with case reports addressing the treatment of specific phobias in children with ASD, such as specific places and situations like riding a school bus, 27 and small rooms, 28 bathrooms, 24 and going to the dentist. 29 Not surprisingly, and consistent with early work on children with DS, 10 children with ASD exhibited more social anxiety, but were less fearful of animals than were children with DS.…”

“…Case studies reporting on behavioral interventions for treating specific phobias in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) include fears of baths and bathrooms, 24 toilets, 25,26 riding a school bus, 27 bathroom showers, fear of going outside, 28 and dental fear. 29 Yet little systematic study has been made of the intensity of fears and phobias in children with ASD relative to other groups of children with and without developmental disabilities.…”

Comorbid psychopathology with autism spectrum disorder in children: An overview

“…Luiselli (1978) treated an autistic child who feared riding a bus. Love, Matson, and West (1990) trained mothers to effectively deal with their autistic children's fears of going outside and of bathroom showers, and Luscre and Center (1996) developed a treatment for ASD children who had dental fears. Most recently, Rapp, Vollmer, and Hovanetz (2005) treated swimming pool avoidance in an autistic adolescent girl.…”

Stimulus Fading and Differential Reinforcement for the Treatment of Needle Phobia in a Youth With Autism

“…Medical treatments that require regular blood drawings are compromised when a child presents with needle phobia (or phlebophobia; Zambanini & Feher, 1997) and can be compromised further when the child also has a developmental disability like autism (Love, Matson, & West, 1990). In fact, when individuals with autism show fear or avoidance reactions to medical procedures (e.g., dental examination), medical professionals have sometimes found it necessary to employ restrictive procedures such as sedation or general anesthesia (e.g., Braff & Nealon, 1979), which pose additional risks to the patient (cf.…”