CBT Treatment Study for Children with Autism

Children and adolescents with high-functioning autism (HFA) and Asperger syndrome are at heightened risk for anxiety disorders when compared with neurotypical children. The high prevalence rate of anxiety disorders in HFA is suggestive of a distinct subgroup of children on the autism spectrum—an “anxious-inhibited” subgroup. Due to complications that a diagnosis of an anxiety disorder can add to the adaptive functioning of children with HFA or Asperger syndrome that is above and beyond the difficulty caused by the autism spectrum disorder—such as severe difficulty with adaptive functioning in academic, family, and social settings—addressing anxiety disorders found in children with HFA is necessary.

Children with high-functioning autism (HFA) and Asperger syndrome, ages 6-13 years old, are eligible to participate in a study of a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) program designed to address core autism
symptoms such as social difficulties and repetitive behaviors.

Please contact Kaycie Zielinski by phone at (310) 206-2586 or by email at kzielinski@ucla.edu for more information about this research.