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Meta-Analysis
. 2015 Aug;46(4):533-47.
doi: 10.1007/s10578-014-0494-y.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety in Youth with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders

Danielle Ung  1 , Robert Selles, Brent J Small, Eric A Storch
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety in Youth with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders

Danielle Ung et al. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2015 Aug.

Abstract

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has been developed and modified to treat anxiety symptoms in youth with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (ASD) but has yielded varying findings. The present report is a systematic review and meta-analysis examining the efficacy of CBT for anxiety among youth with ASD. A systematic search identified 14 studies involving 511 youth with high-functioning ASD. A random effects meta-analysis yielded a statistically significant pooled treatment effect size (g) estimate for CBT (g = -0.71, p < .001) with significant heterogeneity [Q (13) = 102.27, p < .001]. Removal of a study outlier yielded a statistically significant pooled treatment effect size, (g = -0.47, p < .001). Anxiety informant and treatment modality were not statistically significant moderators of treatment response. Findings suggest that CBT demonstrates robust efficacy in reducing anxiety symptoms in youth with high-functioning ASD.

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References

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