Date of Conferral
2022
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Psychology
Advisor
Benita Stiles-Smith
Abstract
Anxiety disorders are the most common comorbid mental health condition seen in individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. This study was an exploration of the benefits of exposure and response prevention (ERP) for high-functioning adolescents with autism and comorbid social anxiety. The research problem was the lack of qualitative description of trained clinicians’ experiences of ERP delivery to high-functioning adolescents with autism and social anxiety. Data for this study were collected through semi structured interviews with six ERP clinicians who had experience in practicing ERP with this population. Analysis of the data revealed the following four core themes: (a) professional recommendations for use of ERP, (b) increased confidence in social settings for clients with high functioning autism, (c) modified ERP effectiveness incorporating repetition, and (d) treatment interfering behaviors. Results indicated that clinicians supported the use of ERP for this patient population. Clinicians believed that ERP was effective and achieved clinically significant improvement in symptoms and function for high-functioning adolescents with autism and social anxiety, dependent on the clinician’s awareness of assessing the need and application of a modified approach. The findings of this study have potential implications for positive social change that include support for establishing training in ERP for therapists of high-functioning adolescents with autism and anxiety, thus making the treatment mode more accessible for this population.
Recommended Citation
Jones, Elisha, "Exposure Response Prevention for Adolescents with High-Functioning Autism and Social Anxiety" (2022). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 13478.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/13478
