Mindfulness Treatment for Anxiety in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

<p dir="ltr">As individuals with autism approach their teenage years, they become more vulnerable to developing mental health issues, with mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression being more prevalent among teens with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) compared to those without. Worldwide prevalence figures indicate that adolescents and adults with ASD are especially prone to developing anxiety and depression at some point in their lives. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is presently the gold-standard treatment for anxiety and is the predominant psychotherapy treatment delivered by clinicians in Singapore for this population. However, with the increased adoption of mindfulness elements into therapeutic treatments by clinicians worldwide and in Singapore, it is of interest to explore how mindfulness-based cognitive therapy may be adapted for the local ASD population. Given this population is at greater risk of developing at least one mental health condition in their lifetime, research on this problem is important because local knowledge is currently lacking about anxiety in ASD youth and the range of effective treatment options for this population.</p>