Efficacité d'un programme de TCC basé sur Internet pour les enfants avec un diagnostic de TSA avec un haut niveau de fonctionnement cognitif et un de l'anxiété comorbide: un essai contrôlé randomisé.

Aperçu: G.M.

Tous les essais menés à ce jour sur BRAVE-ONLINE pour les troubles anxieux des jeunes ont exclu les enfants avec un diagnostic de trouble du spectre de l'autisme et un haut niveau de fonctionnement cognitif (TSAHN) et, par conséquent, on ne sait pas si ces programmes pourraient être bénéfiques pour les enfants avec TSAHN.

Malgré la petite taille de l'échantillon, qui rend difficile la généralisation des résultats de l'étude sur une population de TSAHN, Le programme BRAVE-ONLINE peut être utile pour réduire les symptômes d'angoisse chez les enfants avec TSAHN, bien que les effets soient moins importants que ceux trouvés chez les enfants neurotypiques pour diverses raisons.

J Affect Disord. 2017 Apr 26;218:260-268. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2017.04.032.

Efficacy of an internet-based CBT program for children with comorbid High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder and anxiety: A randomised controlled trial

Conaughton RJ¹, Donovan CL², March S³.

Author information

1

School of Applied Psychology, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Mount Gravatt Campus, Mount Gravatt, QLD 4122, Australia. Electronic address: rebecca.conaughton@griffithuni.edu.au

2

School of Applied Psychology, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Mount Gravatt Campus, Mount Gravatt, QLD 4122, Australia. Electronic address: c.donovan@griffith.edu.au.

3

School of Psychology and Counselling, Institute for Resilient Regions, University of Southern Queensland, Springfield Campus, Springfield, Qld 4432, Australia.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

All trials conducted to date on BRAVE-ONLINE for youth anxiety disorders have excluded children with High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder (HFASD) and therefore it is unknown whether these programs might be beneficial to HFASD children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of BRAVE-ONLINE in HFASD children with an anxiety disorder.

METHODS:

Forty-two HFASD children, aged 8-12 years, with an anxiety disorder, and their parents, were randomly assigned to either the BRAVE-ONLINE condition (NET) or a waitlist control (WLC). Diagnostic interviews and parent/child questionnaires were completed at pre-treatment, post-treatment and 3-month follow-up.

RESULTS:

At post- assessment, compared to children in the WLC condition, children in the NET condition demonstrated a significantly greater reduction in number of anxiety diagnoses, clinical severity of diagnosis, and self and parent reported anxiety symptoms, as well as significantly greater increases in overall functioning. However, loss of primary diagnosis in this sample was lower than in previous studies.

LIMITATIONS:

The small sample size, coupled with attrition rates, makes it difficult to generalise the findings of the study to HFASD population and to conduct analyses regarding mediators, moderators and predictors of outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS:

The BRAVE-ONLINE program may be useful in reducing anxiety symptoms in HFASD children, although the effects are less strong than those found in neurotypical children for a variety of reasons.

Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

PMID:28477505

DOI:10.1016/j.jad.2017.04.032