Cognitive behavioral therapy for children with autism spectrum disorder: A prospective observational study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate prospectively the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

METHODS: Drug-naïve children who met the DSM-V criteria for a diagnosis of ASD were recruited from a day care center, specialized in long-term treatment of children and adolescents with ASD. Symptom assessment was performed using the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) before (base-line) and after 12 months (follow-up) of CBT.

RESULTS: Nine boys with a mean age of 6 (±2.0) years were included. Compared to baseline, significant improvements of symptoms of irritability (p = 0.012), hyperactivity (p = 0.008) and lethargy (p = 0.008) were observed at follow-up.

CONCLUSION: Results indicate that CBT is an effective therapy for children with ASD. Larger studies are needed to give more details about which symptoms respond best in these patients.