Change during cognitive and exposure phases of cognitive-behavioral therapy for autistic youth with anxiety disorders.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To evaluate improvement during the (a) cognitive and (b) exposure therapy phases of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for autistic youth with anxiety disorders.

Method

Participants were 148 autistic youth (aged 7-13; 77% male; 64% White) with clinically significant anxiety who were randomized to standard or adapted CBT. Clinician-rated anxiety severity was recorded at each appointment. Trajectories of change during (a) the cognitive phase and (b) the exposure phase of treatment were analyzed using piecewise multilevel modeling.

Results

Compared to the psychoeducation and cognitive therapy phases, the exposure phase corresponded with significantly more rapid symptom reduction, b = -.11, 95% CI [-.13, -.071]. This finding was true for standard CBT, which incl

SUBMITTER: Guzick AG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9891710 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature