Some of the biggest challenges for children with Autism include symptoms such as anger, anxiety, and meltdowns that can seem to come about without warning. These emotional symptoms while very real can be difficult to treat using standard treatment plans that focus only on the social symptoms. A new study from York University is showing that cognitive-behavioral therapy or CBT could be an effective autism treatment for children because it helps them to feel more in control of their emotions.
Details of the Autism Study Performed at York University
The way this study worked is that 68 children with autism were randomly chosen to receive either 10 sessions of CBT or be put on a waiting list, which served as a control. After the cognitive behavioral therapy was completed, all of the children were then assessed by a clinician who had no knowledge of which group each child was assigned. 74% of the children that received CBT showed significant improvement in terms of their emotional symptoms, as opposed to just 31% from the control group. Another significant finding that cannot be discounted is that the children’s parents were also involved in the sessions and applied some of these CBT techniques at home with their children.
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
CBT is a form of psychotherapy where patients attempt to reframe negative thought patterns into positive ones. The idea is that transforming these thoughts can result in positive actions and behaviors when individuals are faced with difficult situations. CBT has been shown to be useful for a wide array of individuals suffering from all types of conditions including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and other conditions such as autism.
It’s important to realize that advances in CBT are based on significant research and clinical findings showing the ample scientific evidence that exists related to CBT improving the function and quality of life for patients of all types.
CBT Counseling focuses on cognitive behavior therapy and other evidence-based counseling approaches. For more information on CBT as a treatment for autism in children, or any of our other counseling services, feel free to reach out to us today.