Handbook of Lifespan Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Childhood, Adolescence, Pregnancy, Adulthood, and Aging - Chapter 16: Cognitive-behavioral therapy for children with autism and anxiety

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has been used to target a variety of symptoms in typically developing populations. Evidence has begun to amass illustrating the probable efficacy of CBT for anxiety symptoms in children with autism. The presentation of anxiety in this population can sometimes lead to confusion about whether behaviors and feelings reflect anxiety-related difficulties as opposed to characteristics of autism, complicating this population’s treatment trajectories. Nonetheless, CBT appears to be a helpful treatment for many youths with autism and anxiety, with the modular format of an adapted CBT approach showing additional advantages in reducing interfering and maladaptive anxiety.