Effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy with people who have autistic spectrum disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Weston, Lisa, Hodgekins, Joanne and Langdon, Peter E. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7745-1825 (2016) Effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy with people who have autistic spectrum disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 49. pp. 41-54. ISSN 0272-7358

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Abstract

The aims of this study were to undertake a meta-analytic and systematic appraisal of the literature investigating the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) when used with individuals who have autistic spectrum disorders (ASDs) for either a) affective disorders, or b) the symptoms of ASDs. Following a systematic search, 48 studies were included. CBT, used for affective disorders, was associated with a non-significant small to medium effect size, g = 0.24, for self-report measures, a significant medium effect size, g = 0.66, for informant-report measures, and a significant medium effect size, g = 0.73, for clinician-report measures. CBT, used as a treatment for symptoms of ASDs, was associated with a small to medium non-significant effect size, g = 0.25, for self-report measures, a significant small to medium effect size, g = 0.48, for informant-report measures, a significant medium effect size, g = 0.65, for clinician-report measures, and a significant small to medium effect size, g = 0.35, for task-based measures. Sensitivity analyses reduced effect size magnitude, with the exception of that based on informant-report measures for the symptoms of ASDs, which increased, g = 0.52. Definitive trials are needed to demonstrate that CBT is an empirically validated treatment for use with people who have ASDs.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Uncontrolled Keywords: autism,asperger syndrome,pervasive developmental disorder,cognitive behaviour therapy,effectiveness,neurodevelopmental disorders
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Psychological Sciences (former - to 2018)
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Mental Health
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Lifespan Health
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Depositing User: Pure Connector
Date Deposited: 24 Sep 2016 00:42
Last Modified: 19 Oct 2023 01:47
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/60193
DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2016.08.001

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