Internet-delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for insomnia in youth with autism spectrum disorder: A pilot study.

Adolescents with ASD often suffer from sleep disorders affecting their development and quality of life. Research concerning psychological treatment of insomnia in this population is scarce. The objective of this pilot study was to examine the feasibility of internet-delivered CBT for insomnia (iCBT-I) and the participants' experiences after completing the treatment. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used. Six adolescents with ASD and insomnia, aged 13 to 17, participated in the study. The results of the qualitative investigation showed general satisfaction with the iCBT-I. The participants experienced both better sleep and insights into their sleep patterns. Thematic analysis revealed five themes: experience of the structure of the treatment, treatment content, experienced outcomes, experienced difficulties, and suggested improvements. The results indicate the need for additional support for some participants and suggest distinct recommendations for further studies. The quantitative investigation showed large reductions in insomnia symptoms indicating the feasibility of the treatment in this population. The findings suggest promising results, but more studies are needed to define the efficacy of iCBT-I for adolescents with ASD.

Clinical practitioners' experiences of psychological treatment for autistic children and adolescents with school attendance problems: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: School attendance problems (SAPs) are common among children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Currently, there is a lack of guidelines for treatment or interventions aimed at this group. METHOD: Twelve clinical practitioners were interviewed via in-depth interviews using a semi-structured question guide. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and initially independently coded by two coders. The interviews were analyzed according to thematic analysis. RESULTS: The majority of the clinicians reported that it was common that children and adolescents with ASD at CAP had prolonged SAPs. A total of four themes and 22 sub-themes were identified in the analysis: the treatment situation; treatment goals at CAP; treatment interventions; and desired development. Insufficient adaptations in response to core impairment of ASD and lack of support in their daily life could be factors to the development of SAPs. Prolonged social isolation in combination with severe psychiatric comorbidities was reported as a treatment barrier. Also, insufficient collaboration between mental health care services, school and social services obstructed the return to school for this group of students. Favorable factors for positive treatment outcome were: early detection, accurate assessment and coordination between mental health care and schools and environmental adaptation at school as well as at home, parent support and sometimes change of school. Concerning useful therapeutic techniques, exposure from cognitive-behavioral treatment was reported. CONCLUSION: Children and adolescents with ASD with limited societal support tend to develop SAPs. Important factors that impact the outcome of treatment were the length of the absence from school and the severity of psychiatric comorbidities. Tailored and adapted interventions at school, parent support and mental health care are needed. Research about assessment and treatment for children and adolescents with ASD and SAPs is needed.

Long-term social skills group training for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: a randomized controlled trial.

Social skills group training (SSGT) is widely used for intellectually able children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Previous studies indicate small to moderate effects on social communication capacities. The duration of most available programs is relatively short, and extended training might lead to further improvement. This randomized controlled trial compared an extended 24-week version of the SSGT program KONTAKT with standard care. The weekly sessions gradually shifted in content from acquisition of new skills to real-world application of the acquired skills. A total of 50 participants with ASD (15 females; 35 males) aged 8-17 years were included. The study was conducted at two child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient units in Sweden. The primary outcome was the Social Responsiveness Scale-Second Edition (SRS-2) rated by parents and blinded teachers. Secondary outcomes included parent- and teacher-rated adaptive behaviors, trainer-rated global functioning and clinical severity, and self-reported child and caregiver stress. Assessments were made at baseline, posttreatment, and at 3-months follow-up. Parent-rated SRS-2 scores indicated large effects posttreatment [- 19.2; 95% CI - 29.9 to - 8.5; p < .001, effect size (ES) = 0.76], which were maintained at follow-up (- 20.7; 95% CI - 31.7 to - 9.7; p < .0001, ES = 0.82). These estimates indicate substantially larger improvement than previously reported for shorter SSGT. However, the effects on teacher-rated SRS-2 and most secondary outcomes did not reach statistical significance. Our results suggest added benefits of extended SSGT training, implying that service providers might reach better results by optimizing the delivery of SSGT.

The Relationship Between Intolerance of Uncertainty, Sensory Sensitivities, and Anxiety in Autistic and Typically Developing Children.

Guided by a recent theory that proposes fundamental differences in how autistic individuals deal with uncertainty, we investigated the extent to which the cognitive construct 'intolerance of uncertainty' and anxiety were related to parental reports of sensory sensitivities in 64 autistic and 85 typically developing children aged 6-14 years. Intolerance of uncertainty and anxiety explained approximately half the variance in autistic children's sensory sensitivities, but only around a fifth of the variance in typical children's sensory sensitivities. In children with autism only, intolerance of uncertainty remained a significant predictor of children's sensory sensitivities once the effects of anxiety were adjusted for. Our results suggest intolerance of uncertainty is a relevant construct to sensory sensitivities in children with and without autism.