Tableofcontents
Introduction 3
SectionAutism
1: SpectrumDisorder 4
1Symptoms
. andsigns 6
1.
2Medicine andtherapies 7
SectionCognitive
2: BehavioralTherapy 9
2.
1Cognitive model 9
2Techniques
. 1
SectionCognitive
3: BehavioralTherapyandAutismSpectrumDisorder
13
3.
1Limitations 14
3.
2Future Research 15
Conclusion 16
References 18
2
,Introduction
Autismspectrum
disorder
(ASD) isdefined
by theAmericanPsychiatric
Association
as, “restricted,
repetitive
patterns
of behavior,
interests,
oractivities,
whichshowa rangeof manifestations
according
toage andability,
intervention,
and
current
supports.
(AmericanPsychiatric
” Association,
2017, p. 5). The numberof
individuals
diagnosed
withthis
disorder
hasincreased
globally
inthelast
two
decades
and, asa result
of the
lackof successful
therapies
andtreatments,
the
search
forpossible
treatments
continues
(Swedo & Thurm, 201) . A common
treatment
arepsychosocial
therapies,
one beingAppliedBehaviour
Application
therapy,
alsoknownasABA therapy
(DeFilippis
& Wagner, 2016) . Thistherapy
is
primarily
basedon learning
new behaviors
through
rewards
andconsequences
resulting
inincreasing
appropriate
anddecreasing
inappropriate
behaviors
(Smith, D
201). LikeABA, Cognitive
Behavioural
Therapyalso
knownasCBT, focuses
on
how onemightdeal
with
their
emotions
butwith
a broader
approach.CBT isbased
ona cognitive
modeldeveloped
by Beck(Beck, 1970), initially
designed
tohelp
with
mental
disorders
suchas depression
andanxiety,butnow usedfora variety
of
conditions
(Wright, 206). Thismodelallows
an individual
tomake connections
between
emotion
andbehavior,
whichisbeneficial
notonlyforcognitive
disorders,
butalso
formental
health
disorders
(Beck, 197). Thistypeof therapy
ismainly
basedon one'sapproach
andviewon the
situation.
For example, individuals
who
suffer
fromdepression
mightbe driven
by excessively
negative
ideas
andthoughts,
and therefore
their
interpretation
of events
isimpacted
(Fenn & Byrne, 2013).
Although
notfully
introduced
asanASD focused
therapy,
CBT isbecominganother
3
, typeof therapy
that
could
aidandtarget
individuals
with
ASD duetoits
flexibility
and
the
nature
of the
disease
asa comorbid
disorder
(Fenn & Byrne,2013). As such,
further
research
into
the
compatibility
of CBT andAutism
isworthwhile
andforthat
reason,this
essaywill
investigate,
To
whatextent
is cognitive-behavioral
therapy(CBT) an appropriate
therapyfor children
withautismspectrum
disorders(ASD)?
SectionAutism
1: SpectrumDisorder
The initial
ideaof ASD was brought
up by anAmericanpsychiatrist
called
Leo Kennerwherehe referred
tochildren
who struggled
with
social
interaction
as
“early
infantile
autism”,
todescribe
thechildren’s
lackof communication
(Kanner,
1943). In the
following
years,anAustrian
doctor,
HansAsperger,started
tolook
into
thebehaviors
that
we now associate
with
Aspergersyndrome, whichweremild
symptomsof ASD andhigher
intellectual
capability.
Due tothe
extreme
increase
of
diagnoses
inthe
1960s, the
numberof published
studies
onthe
topic
also
increased
(Evans,2013).
As of 20, according
tothe
Developmental
Disabilities
Monitoring
Network,
1 inevery54 children
inthe
USA arediagnosed
with
ASD (Data& Statistics,
20).
As the
name suggests
ASD, isa disorder
basedon a spectrum
andit,therefore,
includes
different
conditions
within
thedisorder
itself.
Underthe
Autism
spectrum,
fivemaintypesof Autism
canbediagnosed:
Autistic
disorder,
Asperger’s
Syndrome,
Rett
Disorder,
Childhood
Disintegrative
Disorder,
andPervasive
Developmental
Disorder
nototherwise
specified
(PDD-NOS) (AmericanPsychiatric
Association,
2013) . Thesefivetypesof autism
areall
under
Autism
Spectrum
Disorder
(ASD),
4
