Update on the effectiveness of psychotherapy for anxiety disorders in children and adolescents with ASD

2019 ◽  
Vol 83 (3) ◽  
pp. 326-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle C. Hunsche ◽  
Connor M. Kerns
Keyword(s):  
Anxiety Disorders ◽  
Behavioral Therapy ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Current Evidence Base ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Individual Program ◽  
Spectrum Disorders

A growing body of research has examined the efficacy of varying formats (individual, group, linear, modular) of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) as a treatment for anxiety disorders in children and youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The present review utilized Chambless and Hollon's (1998) criteria for efficacious treatments to: (1) critically review the current evidence base for the efficacy of CBT for anxiety disorders in ASD; and (2) provide recommendations for future research. Findings identify two probably efficacious CBT programs (one group and one individual program) and five possibly efficacious programs, but no well-established programs. Similarities and differences in the components of these programs, which range from unmodified to specifically developed for ASD populations, are highlighted. In addition, the steps required to demonstrate well-established efficacy, and ultimately effectiveness, are discussed alongside other recommendations for refined future research.

The Oxford Handbook of Autism and Co-Occurring Psychiatric Conditions

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Sleep Problems ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Evidence Based Treatment ◽  
Current Evidence Base ◽  
Psychiatric Conditions ◽  
Adults With Asd

People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are often diagnosed, and treated for, co-occurring mental health disorders. Co-occurring problems are, in fact, a primary reason for referral and treatment-seeking. Research on comorbidity and its management in youth and adults with ASD has expanded at a rapid rate over the last decade. This is the first comprehensive volume on the topic of co-occurring psychiatric conditions and symptoms in ASD. In this Handbook, internationally recognized clinical scientists synthesize the research on assessment and evidence-based treatment for a broad range of conditions as they present in ASD, from childhood through adulthood. In addition to coverage of formal diagnoses that frequently present in ASD (e.g., mood and anxiety disorders), common behavioural concerns (e.g., psychosexual and sleep problems) are also addressed. Each chapter summarizes the condition or disorder as it presents in ASD, and presents the extant research on its prevalence, developmental course, etiology, and assessment and diagnosis in the context of ASD. Each chapter also includes a summary of evidence-based treatment approaches or current best practices for intervention, as well as a case example to demonstrate application. Chapters are also included to synthesize broader issues related to co-occurring psychiatric conditions in ASD, including a historical overview and conceptual framework for co-occurring conditions in ASD, crisis management, and psychopharmacology. In sum, this handbook is comprehensive compilation of the current evidence-base and recommendations for future research to inform clinical practice related to co-occurring psychiatric conditions and symptoms in ASD.

Autism spectrum disorders and offending

2012 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 308-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Santhana Gunasekaran ◽  
Eddie Chaplin
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Current Evidence Base ◽  
Media Portrayal ◽  
The Media ◽  
Spectrum Disorders

PurposeThis paper seeks to offer a general review of offending and autism spectrum disorders from both the authors' perception of the media portrayal and the current evidence based research.Design/methodology/approachThe authors undertook a review of the current literature relating to autism spectrum disorders and offending and commented on current media reporting to try and offer a balance.FindingsRecent evidence suggests that there is unlikely to be an increased prevalence compared to the general population, but the presence of co‐morbidities may increase the risk of violence.Originality/valueThe paper offers a succinct overview of the current evidence base relating to autism spectrum disorders and offending.

Dementia friendly initiatives: A state of the science review

Dementia ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 1858-1895 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine A Hebert ◽  
Kezia Scales
Keyword(s):  
Interdisciplinary Collaboration ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Current Evidence Base ◽  
Centered Care ◽  
State Of The Science

Background Dementia friendly initiatives share similarities with the age-friendly movement in a focus on active engagement and creating a good quality of life for older adults. Dementia friendly initiatives offer a welcoming optimistic narrative in dementia studies by embracing dignity, empowerment, and autonomy to enable well-being throughout the dementia trajectory. Purpose The purpose of this review is to explore the current science of dementia friendly initiatives, identify gaps, and inform future research. Method Quantitative, qualitative, and conceptual/theoretical peer-reviewed dementia friendly research literature were evaluated for their current evidence base and theoretical underpinnings. Results The dementia friendly initiatives research base is primarily qualitative and descriptive focused on environmental design, dementia awareness and education, and the development of dementia friendly communities. Person-centered care principles appear in dementia friendly initiatives centered in care settings. Strong interdisciplinary collaboration is present. Research is needed to determine the effect of dementia friendly initiatives on stakeholder-driven and community-based outcomes. Due to the contextual nature of dementia, the perspective of persons with dementia should be included as dementia friendly initiatives are implemented. Theory-based studies are needed to confirm dementia friendly initiative components and support rigorous evaluation. Dementia friendly initiatives broaden the lens from which dementia is viewed.

Autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and Cognitive Enhancement

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iulia Dud ◽  
Louise Brennan ◽  
Dene Robertson
Keyword(s):  
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Attention Deficit ◽  
Behavioral Interventions ◽  
Psychosocial Interventions ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Current Evidence Base

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are common neurodevelopmental disorders. Impairments in attention and executive functions are core characteristics of ADHD. ASD is primarily characterized by severe deficits in social communication, but cognitive impairments are common, including in attention and executive functions. Currently, there is only limited evidence for efficacy of either pharmacological or behavioral interventions for the treatment of the cognitive deficits associated with the disorders. This chapter presents the current evidence base for cognitive enhancements for ADHD and ASD. It summarizes evidence from available and experimental pharmacological interventions, as well as behavioral, cognitive, and psychosocial interventions. The chapter also discusses the limitations of current tools and future directions.

Co-offending and Co-offender Selection

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah B. van Mastrigt
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Target Selection ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Current Theory ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Current Evidence Base ◽  
Event Planning ◽  
Implicit And Explicit ◽  
Selection Of

A notable proportion of crime is committed in company, particularly during youth, but relatively little attention has been paid to the influence of co-offenders on criminal decision making. This chapter reviews current theory and research on co-offending as it relates to three aspects of offender decision making: the decision to (co)-offend, the selection of accomplices, and choices shaping the characteristics of the criminal event (planning, target selection, and seriousness). Both implicit and explicit decision making are considered, as well as situations in which the offense is premeditated and collaboration is explicitly sought after a plan has been made and situations in which the motivation to offend develops in a group of preformed individuals who become co-offenders by committing the act. The chapter concludes with a discussion of gaps in the current evidence base and directions for future research.

Short report: A quantitative methodological review of participant characteristics in the literature testing mental health interventions for youth with autism spectrum disorder

Autism ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 136236132110564
Author(s):  
Kelsey S Dickson ◽  
Megan Ledoux Galligan ◽  
Ho Lok
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Treatment ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Health Interventions ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Health Treatment ◽  
Current Evidence Base ◽  
Mental Health Interventions ◽  
Treatment Research

There have been significant efforts to develop, adapt, and test interventions targeting the co-occurring mental health conditions common among autistic youth, with several extant narrative and systematic reviews demonstrating the efficacy of these interventions. Yet, a methodological analysis of the literature testing these interventions, particularly the characteristics of the participant samples comprising this evidence base, is needed to contextualize our current understanding of treatment effects and highlight current gaps in the current evidence base to inform future research. This systematic quantitative methodology review characterized participants included in the mental health treatment research for autistic youth. One hundred and thirty-one articles testing mental health interventions for autism spectrum disorder were coded for youth, caregiver, and provider participant demographics. Findings indicated limited representation of females, transition age youth, racial/ethnic minority groups, and youth diverse in cognitive functioning and co-occurring mental health symptoms or conditions. Limited inclusion of providers’ representative of the clinical workforce was also noted. These results illuminate several critical gaps in the current evidence base for mental health interventions for autistic youth and provide recommendations for future research directions. Lay abstract Previous research has highlighted the importance of mental health treatment for autistic youth. In that research base, most studies focus on demonstrating the efficacy of a particular intervention with a sample of autistic youth. However, understanding the characteristics of samples used within these studies (i.e. demographics) is an important avenue for expanding this research to a more diverse, representative sample of autistic youth in community settings. As such, the current review examined and characterized participants included within mental health treatment research. We coded studies for various demographics among the youth sample, caregivers, and providers participants. Results indicated that while efforts have been made to increase diversity in research, very few studies including transition-aged youth, those identifying as female, and/or those identifying as non-Caucasian. Clinically, a few studies included youth with lower cognitive abilities and/or those with specific mental health problems (e.g. trauma and depression) or more than one co-occurring mental health conditions. Overall, our results highlight several critical gaps in our current evidence base regarding mental health treatment for autistic youth, including the limited clinical representativeness of both provider and child participants.

A Systematic Review of the Qualitative Evidence for the Use of Lifestyle Planning in People with Learning Disabilities

1999 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 148-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Rowe ◽  
A. Rudkin
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Outcome Data ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Qualitative Evidence ◽  
Current Evidence Base

Lifestyle planning (LP) for people with learning disabilities is largely supported by qualitative rather than quantitative research. LP is a time-consuming and potentially resource-intensive area of practice which is becoming more prevalent in the UK. We present the first systematic review of the qualitative evidence base for the use of LP in people with learning disabilities. Such evidence concerns the special characteristics of LP and its outcomes in descriptive rather than quantitative terms. Qualitative research is usually aimed at enhancing validity by grounding theory in data collected. Twenty-one studies passed eligibility criteria for inclusion in this review, but only ten provided any outcome data, the others being concerned with process only. A replicable search strategy was employed and the resulting original data sources were critically reviewed with respect to major concepts and categories in the areas of: planning process, choices and preferences, ethics and outcomes. Explicitly person-centred approaches such as essential lifestyle planning are contrasted with more service-led methods such as individual programme planning. There are major methodological limitations in much of the available literature and suggestions for future research to clarify matters are made. The current evidence base suggests that no form of LP has significantly better outcomes than any other form and that it is not clear if LP in general enhances outcomes. Ongoing use of person centred planning in particular is informed by ethical considerations and is evolving in its structure and function.

scholarly journals The Gut Microbiome and Mental Health: What Should We Tell Our Patients?: Le microbiote Intestinal et la Santé Mentale : que Devrions-Nous dire à nos Patients?

2019 ◽  
Vol 64 (11) ◽  
pp. 747-760 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary I. Butler ◽  
Sabrina Mörkl ◽  
Kiran V. Sandhu ◽  
John F. Cryan ◽  
Timothy G. Dinan
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Psychiatric Disorders ◽  
Gut Microbiome ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Health Benefit ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Current Evidence Base

The gut microbiome as a potential therapeutic target for mental illness is a hot topic in psychiatry. Trillions of bacteria reside in the human gut and have been shown to play a crucial role in gut–brain communication through an influence on neural, immune, and endocrine pathways. Patients with various psychiatric disorders including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and autism spectrum disorder have been shown to have significant differences in the composition of their gut microbiome. Enhancing beneficial bacteria in the gut, for example, through the use of probiotics, prebiotics, or dietary change, has the potential to improve mood and reduce anxiety in both healthy people and patient groups. Much attention is being given to this subject in the general media, and patients are becoming increasingly interested in the potential to treat mental illness with microbiome-based therapies. It is imperative that those working with people with mental illness are aware of the rationale and current evidence base for such treatment strategies. In this review, we provide an overview of the gut microbiome, what it is, and what it does in relation to gut–brain communication and psychological function. We describe the fundamental principles and basic techniques used in microbiome–gut–brain axis research in an accessible way for a clinician audience. We summarize the current evidence in relation to microbiome-based strategies for various psychiatric disorders and provide some practical advice that can be given to patients seeking to try a probiotic for mental health benefit.

scholarly journals Lighting in the Home and Health: A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 609
Author(s):  
Oluwapelumi Osibona ◽  
Bethlehem D. Solomon ◽  
Daniela Fecht
Keyword(s):  
Light Exposure ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Housing Quality ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Current Evidence Base ◽  
Specific Health

Poor housing is an important determinant of poor health. One key aspect of housing quality is lighting. Light is important for visual performance and safety, and also plays a vital role in regulating human physiological functions. This review aims to synthesise existing evidence on the relationship between lighting in the home and health and recommends areas for future research. Three databases were searched for relevant literature using pre-defined inclusion criteria. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. Extracted data were qualitatively synthesised according to type of lighting (natural light, artificial light and light at night) and stratified by broad health domains (physical, mental and sleep health). Of the 4043 records retrieved, 28 studies met the inclusion criteria. There was considerable heterogeneity in light exposure metrics used and specific health outcome assessed by the studies. Lighting in the home can negatively affect health but the current evidence base is limited to a small number of studies in different domains of light and health. Further research surrounding specific health outcomes is required to better inform housing quality assessments and lighting practises in the home.

Pharmacotherapy of Anxiety Disorders

2013 ◽  
pp. 636-639
Author(s):  
James W. Murrough ◽  
Dan V. Iosifescu ◽  
Dennis S. Charney
Keyword(s):  
Anxiety Disorders ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
The United States ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Generalized Anxiety ◽  
Pharmacological Agents ◽  
Current Evidence Base ◽  
High Degree ◽  
Monoaminergic Agents

Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent mental disorders in the United States and are associated with a high degree of morbidity and public health costs. This chapter will present a general approach to the diagnosis and treatment of these disorders and summarize the current evidence base for pharmacotherapeutic treatment options in individual disorders, including panic disorder, social phobia, posttraumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder.The serotonin-selective and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors are generally considered first-line treatment while older monoaminergic agents are often efficacious but are limited by safety and tolerability issues. The benzodiazepines play an important role in the treatment of some anxiety disorders, however these agents also possess important limitations. Other pharmacological agents have a more limited evidence base. Continued progress in basic and translational neuroscience is expected to meet the need for new, more effective treatments for patients suffering from these disorders.

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