April 2, 2023

World Autism Awareness Day, which aims to recognise the rights and needs of people with autism, is marked every April 2^nd. Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at high risk for anxiety difficulties and disorders. While clinic-based cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) has been proven effective for alleviating ASD patients’ anxiety, the treatment’s effect has yet to be tested outside laboratories. On the other hand, on-campus treatment may be more ideal given the amount of time adolescents spend in school.

In ‘Feasibility, Acceptability and Preliminary Treatment Outcomes in a School-Based CBT Intervention Program for Adolescents with ASD and Anxiety in Singapore’ (Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2017), Ms Irene E. Drmic (Hospital for Sick Children), Adjunct Associate Professor Mariam Aljunied (NUS Psychology), and Professor Judy Reaven (University of Colorado) examine the feasibility and effectiveness of conducting on-campus CBT treatment to students with ASD. The study involved 44 Singaporean students from 22 mainstream secondary schools.

The researchers modified the clinical CBT treatment in several aspects to adapt to school settings. The 14-week programme was shortened to a 10-week treatment programme due to schedule clashes. Participating school staff also attended training workshops before engaging the students. Moreover, careful attention was paid to the choice of words in accordance with the vocabulary of the students receiving CBT.

The trial indicates that CBD treatment can be adapted and implemented in secondary schools in Singapore. The participating students with ASD, as well as their parents, reported an overall drop of anxiety symptoms after receiving the treatment. Most parents agreed that the sessions were useful and enjoyable. Furthermore, school staff who underwent training workshops generally expressed high satisfaction with the training, which enhanced their knowledge of CBT and confidence of applying it.

Lastly, the researchers identified several key factors crucial to implementing on-campus CBT treatment. Firstly, it requires strong and consistent support from various stakeholders, such as school staff, students, and their parents. Secondly, joint planning with the schools is useful. Thirdly, appropriate adaptation of the original practice into the school-based version is necessary. Finally, the skills and prior experience of facilitators carrying out the programme are important.

Read the article here: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10803-016-3007-y