CBT With Autism Flashcards
what is CBT designed for? (2)
- help people notice and understand how their thoughts and behaviours and emotions affect each other
- -help them learn coping mechanisms to respond to stressful situations
what are the 4 common elements to CBT?
1-assessment
2-psychoeducation
3-cognitive restructuring
4-exposure
what main emotion do people with autism use CBT to help manage with?
anxiety
what is the assessment element? (3)
Identify strengths and weaknesses
- child being bullied-low self esteem/anxiety
- need to identify strength/something they’re good at to boost self-esteem
what is the psychoeducation element? (2)
identify appropriate times when relaxation techniques should be implemented
-when alarm goes off to go to school
what is the cognitive restructuring element? (6)
identify and modify maladaptive thoughts
- challenge distorted thoughts
- e.g. what evidence is there of everyone talking about you?
- replace with thoughts that are more appropriate
e. g. Jane is my friend - practice until modified thoughts become more automatic
what is the exposure element?
- mock situation
- teach client how to make friends
- build confidence to apply tools to real life setting
how can CBT be modified to autistic characteristics? (4)
- -figure out what client struggles with e.g. sensory- chewing gum to satisfy their needs
- use special interests e.g. their autistic savant and build rapport around that
- t role play in a therapeutic setting
- communicate through speech bubbles- if client has language deficit
why might CBT not be effective for people with autism? (4)
- autistic people can’t decentre=think they’re right so won’t listen to therapist
- difficulty regulating emotions
- communication deficits
- theory of mind deficits
how will CBT help children with autism? (2)
- CBT will try to alleviate anxiety during assessment stage
- root cause of the anxiety
what will CBT teach children with autism? (2+1example)
- teach relaxation techniques
- the appropriate times to implement them
e. g. get anxiety about going to school on a morning
SUPPORTING (2)
- Wood-found improvement in anxiety in autistic children after 16 sessions
- Sofronoff-significantly less anxiety after CBT
OTHER EXPLANATIONS
-ABA- focuses on specific autistic characteristics e.g. eye contact whereas CB focuses only on anxiety
USEFULNESS
-+CBT individually tailored -specific focus-more effective
-socially controlling-changes way children feel about things/think about things
+not as socially controlling as ABA-more control over children’s treatment of behaviour
+therapy teaches skills that can be applied to any stressful situation
-different levels of autism-may not be effective for those with language deficits
