Workshop 4
Adapting CBT practice to meet the needs of autistic people
Ailsa Russell, University of Bath, UK
Monday 19 October: 9am – 12.30pm
Autistic people are disproportionately affected by mental health problems, particularly anxiety and depression. Cognitive-behavioural interventions have been found to be effective in treating co-occurring mental health problems particularly if adapted to meet the needs of autistic people.
In this workshop, we will consider the challenges for autistic people in accessing CBT and how adaptations to the style and content of CBT interventions can overcome these. We will present the range of adaptations that can be helpful and consider the need for a flexible approach. The focus will be autistic adults who do not have an associated intellectual disability.
This workshop aims to improve therapist knowledge about and confidence in working with autistic people. The intended learning outcomes may also be helpful in adapting practice for people with social communication difficulties who do not have a formal diagnosis.
Key learning objectives
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
To become familiar with the main adaptations to CBT that can improve accessibility for autistic people.
To understand the rationale underpinning the adaptations
To become familiar with the evidence base for autism adapted CBT
To become more confident to adapt CBT practice for autistic people
Biography
Dr Ailsa Russell is a Reader in Clinical Psychology at the University of Bath. She has worked in national specialist and adult autism services and community based adult autism services. She has led on two clinical trials investigating the usefulness of adapted CBT for co-occurring mental health problems, specifically treating Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Depression.
Key references
Mckeon, H. E., Cotton, L., Aldridge, R., Cape, A., Clout, M., Cooper, K., … & Russell, A. (2024). Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of guided self-help for depression for autistic adults: the Autism Depression Trial (ADEPT-2)–protocol for a multicentre, randomised controlled trial of a remotely delivered low-intensity intervention. BMJ open, 14(11), e084729.
Russell, A., Jassi, A., & Johnston, K. (2019). OCD and Autism: A Clinician’s Guide to Adapting CBT. Jessica Kingsley Publishers: London and Philadelphia
ISBN: 9781785923791
Cooper, K., Loades, M.E. and Russell, A. (2018) Adapting psychological therapies for Autism Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders 45; 43-50 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2017.11.002
