Research library/Social & Cognitive

Category 6 of 12:

Social & Cognitive

Teaching the unwritten rules of social interaction, and the thinking tools to manage anxiety and big emotions.

6 therapies · 2 groups · 0 reviews published

How we grade the evidence:

Strong — multiple trials or reviews, consistent resultsModerate — good evidence, generally acceptedEmerging — promising, still earlyLimited — well-studied and not shown to help, or too little study to knowControversial — significant debate among researchers, use cautionHarmful — documented risk of harm — not recommended

Social Skills Training

Explicit teaching of the social rules that come naturally to some kids and not others.

Strong evidence

Social Skills Groups (e.g., PEERS®)

Structured group programs teaching social rules, conversation, and peer relationships.

School age – adultsComing soon
Moderate evidence

Social Thinking® / Social-Emotional Learning

Curriculum teaching perspective-taking, social awareness, and flexible thinking.

School age – adultsComing soon
Moderate evidence

Theory of Mind Training

Explicit instruction in inferring others' thoughts, beliefs, and intentions.

School ageComing soon

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Talk-therapy tools, adapted for autistic thinking styles, for anxiety and emotional regulation.

Strong evidence

CBT for Anxiety in ASD

Adapted CBT protocols to treat anxiety, OCD, and phobias in autistic individuals.

School age – adultsComing soon
Moderate evidence

CBT for Emotion Regulation

Techniques to identify, understand, and manage emotional responses.

School age – adultsComing soon
Emerging evidence

Mindfulness-Based CBT

Mindfulness practices adapted for autistic individuals to reduce stress and rumination.

Adolescents – adultsComing soon
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