Improving Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Autistic Individuals: A Delphi Survey with Practitioners

AbstractThere is emerging evidence of the effectiveness of individual and group cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for autistic individuals, in particular to address anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder and depression. Many CBT studies have incorporated relatively stringent standards, with regards to participant inclusion/exclusion criteria, delivery of manualised approaches and assurance of therapist training and oversight. We know less about what happens in routine CBT practice and, importantly, how service provision can be improved for autistic individuals. The present study recruited 50  CBT practitioners to a three round Delphi survey. The aims were to elicit professionals’ perspectives regarding barriers to the acceptability and effectiveness of CBT for autistic individuals, and to generate consensus, both about ways of enhancing service provision, as well as the autism-relev ant training needs of CBT practitioners. Study findings indicated six barriers to accessible and effective CBT for autistic individuals, relating to service provision, practitioner-related factors, client-related factors, CBT-related factors, national guidelines, and systemic considerations. There w as participant consensus that changes in five domains (specifically relating to process issues, service provision, practitioners, techniques and therapeutic approach) could improve the CBT care pathway. Consensus was generated about the training needs of CBT practitioners: training about autism, CB...
Source: Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research