Predictors of Treatment Effectiveness for Youth with ASD and Comorbid Anxiety Disorders: It all Depends on the Family?

Modular CBT for Childhood Anxiety Disorders: Evaluating Clinical Outcomes and its Predictors

This study examined clinical outcomes of a modular individual CBT for children with anxiety disorders (AD), and predictors of outcomes, in usual clinical practice. Participants were 106 children with ADs (7-17 years), and parents. Assessments were pre-, mid-, post-test, and 10 weeks after CBT (follow-up). Predictors (measured pre-treatment) were child characteristics (gender, age, type of AD, comorbid disorders), fathers' and mothers' anxious/depressive symptoms, and parental involvement (based on parents' presence during treatment sessions and the use of a parent module in treatment). At follow-up, 59% (intent-to-treat analyses) to 70% (completer analysis) of the children were free from their primary anxiety disorder. A significant decrease in anxiety symptoms was found. Higher parental involvement was related to lower child anxiety at follow-up, but only for children with comorbid disorders. Findings suggest that it is beneficial to treat anxiety with modular CBT. Future steps involve comparisons of modularized CBT with control conditions.

A Systematic Review of Family Functioning in Families of Children on the Autism Spectrum

This article aims to review the literature on family functioning in the field of autism. The search was conducted in August 2021 in PubMed, PsycINFO, and PubPsy and sixty-two articles were included. Studies were published in English between 1980 and 2021 and provided quantitative data from validated measures of family functioning in families with an official diagnosis of autism. Results showed that family functioning appeared more problematic for families of autistic children than non-autistic ones. Difficulties were correlated with more caregiver demand and less resources. Interventional results varied. The findings highlight the importance of considering family functioning when providing care for autistic children and their families. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed.Prospero registration number: CRD42022297696.

The Role of Maternal Anxiety in Treatment Response for Youth with ASD and Co-occurring Anxiety

Anxiety disorders occur at higher rates in youth with ASD than in neurotypical youth. Although the efficacy of CBT for anxiety in children with ASD is widely supported, factors that influence treatment outcomes are not well understood. This study examined the role of maternal anxiety in treatment outcomes for youth with ASD. Youth with ASD and anxiety (ages 8 to 14), along with their mothers (n = 87), participated in a group CBT intervention. Results indicated that maternal anxiety did not improve over the course of treatment. However, findings suggest that high levels of maternal anxiety at pre-treatment predicted higher levels of youth anxiety post-treatment. Importantly, the relationship between parent anxiety and youth outcomes was moderated by child age. The findings of the present study may provide initial insight into the role that maternal anxiety plays in treatment outcomes for children with ASD and co-occurring anxiety, particularly when considering child age.

Moderators of Response to Personalized and Standard Care Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Comorbid Anxiety

Anxiety/obsessive-compulsive disorders are common among youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Two versions of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) are effective, with some advantage for a personalized, adapted version. This study evaluated predictors and moderators of standard CBT and adapted CBT. Youth (N = 167) ages 7-13 were randomized to standard or adapted CBT, or treatment-as-usual. Age, IQ, ASD severity, and emotional-behavioral symptom severity were examined. More severe internalizing and emotional-behavioral problems predicted poorer treatment outcomes especially in standard versus personalized CBT. Elevated repetitive behaviors and restricted interests predicted poorer treatment outcomes across treatments, though youth with "moderate" repetitive behaviors and restricted interested experienced poorer outcomes only in standard but not personalized CBT. Externalizing symptoms directly predicted treatment outcomes. Older age predicted improved outcomes in adapted but not standard CBT. Findings highlight the need for further treatment refinements and the value in adapting treatment for youth with more complex presentations. Trial Registration Clinicialtrials.gov: NCT02028247; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02028247 .

Parental Perspectives on Psychiatric Comorbidity in Preschoolers With Autism Spectrum Disorders Receiving Publicly Funded Mental Health Services

An increased prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity (PC) in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is consistently reported. While several studies have examined PC in school-aged children, adolescents and adults with ASD, investigations on PC in preschoolers are less common. In this study, we explore the prevalence and the type of PC in a sample of 989 preschoolers with ASD through the DSM-Oriented Scales (DOS) of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL 1½-5) and their possible links with the core features of ASD and cognitive functioning. Results indicated that 37.8% of the sample had at least one PC in addition to ASD; these subjects displayed significantly higher Total score (p = 0.02) and Social Affect score (p = 0.003) on the ADOS-based calibrated severity scores (CSS), as well as lower (p ≤ 0.0001) performance IQ (pIQ) compared to ASD individuals without PC. As far as the specific DOS, Affective Problems (AP) were detected in 23.4% of the whole sample, ADHD Problems (ADHD) in 17.3%, Anxiety Problems (AXP) in 16.7%, and Oppositional Problems (OP) in 7.9%. These different comorbidities were isolated in 195 subjects (Mono-comorbid group: 19.7% of the whole sample), while 179 subjects (18.1% of the whole sample) had two or more types of PC (Multi-comorbid group). One-way ANOVA revealed that subjects with multi-comorbidity have statistically significant lower pIQ and higher Total score and Social Affect score on CSS-ADOS. Specific differences for each type of comorbidity and gender differences were also discussed. Taken together, results indicate a considerable presence of PC in preschoolers with ASD that should be accurately considered during the assessment and diagnosis process in order to plan a tailored intervention based not only on core symptoms of ASD, but also on comorbid psychiatric condition since preschool age.

Do Parental Psychiatric Symptoms Predict Outcome in Children With Psychiatric Disorders? A Naturalistic Clinical Study

OBJECTIVE

Parental psychiatric symptoms can negatively affect the outcome of children's psychopathology. Studies thus far have mainly shown a negative effect of maternal depression. This study examined the associations between a broad range of psychiatric symptoms in mothers and fathers and the child's outcome.

METHOD

Internalizing and externalizing psychiatric symptoms were assessed in 742 mothers, 440 fathers, and their 811 children at the first evaluation in 3 child and adolescent psychiatric outpatient clinics and at follow-up (on average 1.7 years later). Predictions of child's symptoms scores were tested at follow-up by parental symptom scores at baseline, parental scores at follow-up, and offspring scores at baseline.

RESULTS

Children whose mother or father scored above the (sub)clinical threshold for psychiatric symptoms at baseline had higher symptom scores at baseline and at follow-up. Offspring follow-up scores were most strongly predicted by offspring baseline scores, in addition to parental psychiatric symptoms at follow-up. Offspring symptom scores at follow-up generally were not predicted by parental scores at baseline. Maternal and paternal associations were of similar magnitude.

CONCLUSION

Higher symptom scores at follow-up in children of parents with psychopathology were mainly explained by higher symptom scores at baseline. Continuing parent-offspring associations could be a result of reciprocal effects, ie, parental symptoms influencing offspring symptoms and offspring symptoms influencing parental symptoms. Nevertheless, the results show that these children are at risk for persisting symptoms, possibly indicating the need to treat maternal and paternal psychopathology.

Parental Outcomes Following Participation in Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) benefit from parent involvement in their therapy, and there is evidence that this involvement may improve parent functioning as well. We examined changes in parent mental health, parenting, and expressed emotion, following participation in a randomized controlled trial of cognitive behavior therapy for 57 children with ASD. Post-intervention, improvements occurred in the treatment group in parent depression and emotion regulation, compared to waitlisted parents. Treatment effects also occurred across all parents in depression, emotion regulation, perceptions of their children and mindful parenting. Though preliminary, these results have implications for intervention development and evaluation by focusing on parent outcomes in child treatment.

Comorbid autism spectrum disorder and anxiety disorders: a brief review

Appearing in 40% of the cases of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), comorbid anxiety presents unique challenges for practitioners by amplifying problem behaviors such as social skills deficits, resistance to change and repetitive behaviors. Furthermore, comorbid ASD/anxiety strains familial relationships and increases parental stress. Research indicates that the neurobiological interactions between anxiety and ASD require comprehensive assessment approaches, modified cognitive behavioral therapy and carefully managed pharmacological interventions. Meta-analyses indicate that cognitive behavioral therapy with exposure is an effective treatment option when adequately accounting for social, familial and cognitive variables. The purpose of this focused review is to update readers on the latest research advances in comorbid ASD and anxiety, including prevalence, assessment, psychosocial and pharmacological treatment.