Abstract
BACKGROUND: Children and young people with autism are at a higher risk of developing anxiety disorders. While the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for anxiety in autistic youths is well-researched, less is known about the active ingredients to adapting therapy.AIMS: This systematic review aimed to synthesise the adaptations for CBT for anxiety in autistic children and young people. Should there be a sufficient body of research, this review also aimed to compare the effectiveness of these adaptations.
METHOD: Searches were conducted across five databases including EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PubMed and Web of Science. The search results were then evaluated against inclusion/exclusion criteria. Data from the included studies were extracted before conducting a narrative synthesis to summarise the findings. Quality assessment for the included studies was completed using the Evaluation of Public Health Practice Projects
RESULTS: 23 eligible studies were included in the review, comprising of 1,100 participants. These studies were generally of strong to moderate methodological quality. Findings highlighted the importance of practical modifications, parent and teacher input, affective education, skills training, and feedback and practice of CBT tasks as key adaptations. Due to an insufficient number of studies examining each adaptation, we could not make comparisons for effectiveness.
CONCLUSIONS: Adapted clinical practice can be used when delivering interventions for autistic youths experiencing anxiety. Future research should carefully examine the effectiveness of these adaptations to understand their value before examining how well adapted CBT is implemented within healthcare services. Likewise, research should examine how adaptations can be optimised across different demographic groups.
| Date of Award | 1 Oct 2024 |
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| Original language | English |
| Awarding Institution |
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| Supervisor | Lucia Valmaggia (Supervisor) & Matthew Hollocks (Supervisor) |