Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of brief acceptance and commitment training (ACT) on overt values-based behaviors, psychological flexibility, psychological well-being, and parental adherence of four Japanese mothers of children with autism. A non-concurrent multiple baseline design across participants with pre- and post-measures was used in this study. All four participants received five 45–60 min of online ACT sessions.

Autistic adults, adults who have an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, are more likely than their non-autistic peers to experience mental health concerns. A growing body of literature supports interventions that target psychological flexibility as a useful approach for reducing mental health concerns in autistic adults. Despite this, psychometric evidence on measuring psychological flexibility within this population is scant.

Background
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) has shown to be an effective intervention in promoting psychological health. This systematic review aimed to establish the effectiveness of ACT for adults with autism and/or intellectual disabilities.

Method
Three databases were systematically reviewed (PsycInfo, PubMed, and MEDLINE) using PRISMA guidelines.

A concurrent randomized multiple baseline across three mother-child dyads single-case design was employed to evaluate the effects of a brief mindfulness-infused behavioral parent training program. The program included strategies embedded within the context of natural family routines. Three mothers and their children with autism spectrum disorder participated.

Acceptance and Commitment Training has been employed to increase behavioral flexibility in only a handful of studies with children with autism. In the current study, we conducted a direct contingency functional analysis of the inflexible behavior of three children with autism and developed a function-based treatment.

Some individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) engage in verbal and physical aggression that is inimical to their educational and social development. Given that no specific treatment is applicable to all individuals with ASD, there is a need to develop and assess interventions that enable self-management of these behaviors.

We examined the effect of a brief Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) based intervention for eighteen parents of children with autism compared to a matched randomized control group.