Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-4rdpn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-14T04:20:27.846Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Blended cognitive behavioural therapy for adolescents with panic disorder co-morbid with autism spectrum disorder: a case study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 September 2020

Sayo Hamatani
Affiliation:
Research Center for Child Mental Development, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan Department of Psychiatry, Teikyo University Chiba Medical Center, Ichihara, Japan
Kazuki Matsumoto
Affiliation:
Research Center for Child Mental Development, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan Department of Psychiatry, Teikyo University Chiba Medical Center, Ichihara, Japan
Yukihiko Shirayama*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Teikyo University Chiba Medical Center, Ichihara, Japan
*
*Corresponding author. Email: shirayama@rapid.ocn.ne.jp

Abstract

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for improving anxiety symptoms in patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, some patients with ASD take extra time for learning, and they can find it hard to change their thinking styles and behaviour due to cognitive deficits. The therapist must be creative when implementing CBT in this context. Here, it may be helpful for the patient with ASD to understand CBT’s concepts by using visual aid material. Blended CBT during which the patient is shown visual aid material with his or her therapist has been suggested as effective for adults without ASD to reduce anxiety. Blended CBT combines face-to-face treatment with internet guided support and resource. Blended CBT may facilitate an understanding of essential knowledge and help people with ASD and anxiety acquire skills based on cognitive behavioural science. However, as far as we know, no previous studies have reported on the use of blended CBT for patients with panic disorder co-morbid with ASD. This study, therefore, consecutively performed 16 blended CBT sessions on a biweekly basis to treat panic disorder (PD) in an adolescent Japanese female co-morbid with ASD. The patient exhibited improvements in PD symptoms and agoraphobia after treatment: the Panic Disorder Severity Scale score decreased from 18 to 2. These results indicate that visual aid-assisted treatment may help patients with impaired imagination and social cognition related to ASD. Furthermore, this study’s therapist notes the need for paced treatments and repeated psychoeducation for patients with impairments in central coherence and cognitive flexibility.

Key learning aims

  1. (1) Blended CBT may patients with panic disorder (PD) co-morbid with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to understand concepts based on cognitive behavioural science and symptoms.

  2. (2) Blended CBT sessions can each be conducted in approximately 20 min (about one-third of the time needed for typical 45- to 90-min CBT sessions); in other words, it is less burdensome for the patient and therapist.

  3. (3) How to adjust blended CBT for those who have low average intelligence quotients (IQ) and/or ASD.

Type
Case Study
Copyright
© British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2020

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Further reading

Matsumoto, K., Sato, K., Hamatani, S., Shirayama, Y., & Shimizu, E. (2019). Cognitive behavioral therapy for postpartum panic disorder: a case series. BMC Psychology, 7, 53. doi: 10.1186/s40359-019-0330-zCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
van der Vaart, R., Witting, M., Riper, H., Kooistra, L., Bohlmeijer, E. T., & van Gemert-Pijnen, L. (2014). Blending online therapy into regular face-to-face therapy for depression: Content, ratio and preconditions according to patients and therapists using a Delphi study. BMC Psychiatry, 14, 355.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed

References

American Psychiatric Association (APA) (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV; 5th edn). Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Andrews, G., Basu, A., Cuijpers, P., Craske, M. G., McEvoy, P., English, C. L., & Newby, J. M. (2018). Computer therapy for the anxiety and depression disorders is effective, acceptable and practical health care: an updated meta-analysis. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 55, 7078. doi: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2018.01.001CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Baron-Cohen, S., Wheelwright, S., Skinner, R., Martin, J., & Clubley, E. (2001). The autism-spectrum quotient (AQ): evidence from Asperger syndrome/high-functioning autism, males and females, scientists and mathematicians. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 31, 517.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Booth, R. D., & Happé, F. G. (2018). Evidence of reduced global processing in autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 48, 13971408.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Clark, D. M. (1986). A cognitive approach to panic. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 24, 461–70.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cooper, K., Loades, M. E., & Russell, A. J. (2018). Adapting psychological therapies for autism - therapist experience, skills and confidence. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 1, 4350. doi: 10.1016/j.rasd.2017.11.002.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Erbe, D., Eichert, H. C., Riper, H., & Ebert, D. D. (2017). Blending face-to-face and internet-based interventions for the treatment of mental disorders in adults: a systematic review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 19, e306. doi: 10.2196/jmir.6588.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Frith, U. (2001). Mind blindness and the brain in autism. Neuron, 32, 969979.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fujita, K., Maekawa, H., Dairoku, K., & Yamanaka, K. (2006). [A Japanese version of the WAIS-III.] Nihon Bunka Kagakusha, Tokyo.Google Scholar
Furukawa, T. A., Katherine, S. M., Barlow, D. H., Gorman, J. M., Woods, S. W., Money, R., Etschel, E., Engel, R. R., & Leucht, S. (2009). Evidence-based guidelines for interpretation of the Panic Disorder Severity Scale. Depression and Anxiety, 26, 922929. doi: 10.1002/da.20532.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hamatani, S., Tomotake, M., Takeda, T., Kameoka, N., Kawabata, M., Kubo, H., Tada, Y., Tomioka, Y., Watanabe, S., & Ohmori, T. (2016). Impaired social cognition in anorexia nervosa patients. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 5, 25272531.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hamatani, S., Tomotake, M., Takeda, T., Kameoka, N., Kawabata, M., Kubo, H., Ohta, M., Tada, Y., Tomioka, Y., Watanabe, S., Inoshita, M., Kinoshita, M., & Ohmori, T. (2018). Impaired central coherence in patients with anorexia nervosa. Psychiatry Research, 1, 7780. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2017.09.086CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hofmann, S. G., & Smits, J. A. (2008). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for adult anxiety disorders: a meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 69, 621631.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Houck, P. R., Spiegel, D. A., Shear, M. K., & Rucci, P. (2002). Reliability of the self-report version of the panic disorder severity scale. Depression and Anxiety, 15, 183185.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Katagami, M. (2007). The self-report version of the panic disorder severity scale: reliability and validity of the Japanese version. Japanese Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine, 47, 331338.Google Scholar
Kooistra, L. C., Wiersma, J. E., Ruwaard, J., van, O. P., Smit, F., & Lokkerbol, J.et al. (2014). Blended vs face-to-face cognitive behavioural treatment for major depression in specialized mental health care: study protocol of a randomized controlled cost-effectiveness trial. BMC Psychiatry, 14, 290.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lord, C., Rutter, M., DiLavore, P. C., Risi, S., Gotham, K., & Bishop, S. L., (2012). Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, second edition (ADOS-2) Manual (Part I): Modules 1–4. Western Psychological Services, Torrance, CA.Google Scholar
Matsumoto, K., Sato, K., Hamatani, S., Shirayama, Y., & Shimizu, E. (2019). Cognitive behavioral therapy for postpartum panic disorder: a case series. BMC Psychology, 7, 53. doi: 10.1186/s40359-019-0330-zCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Matsumoto, K., Sutoh, C., Asano, K., Seki, Y., Urao, Y., Yokoo, M., Takanashi, R., Yoshida, T., Tanaka, M., Noguchi, R., Nagata, S., Oshiro, K., Numata, N., Hirose, M., Yoshimura, K., Nagai, K., Sato, Y., Kishimoto, T., Nakagawa, A., & Shimizu, E. (2018) Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy with real-time therapist support via videoconference for patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder: pilot single-arm trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 20, e12091.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mennin, D. S., Fresco, D. M., Heimberg, R. G., Schneier, F. R., Davies, S. O., & Liebowitz, M. R. (2002). Screening for social anxiety disorder in the clinical setting: using the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 16, 661–73.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Moseley, R. L., Shtyrov, Y., Mohr, B., Lombardo, M. V., Baron-Cohen, S., & Pulvermüller, F. (2015). Lost for emotion words: what motor and limbic brain activity reveals about autism and semantic theory. Neuroimage, 104, 413–22. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2014.09.046CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Muramatsu, K., Miyaoka, H., Kamijima, K., Muramatsu, Y., Yoshida, M., Otsubo, T., & Gejyo, F. (2007). The patient health questionnaire, Japanese version: validity according to the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview-plus. Psychological Reports, 101, 952960.Google ScholarPubMed
Murray, K., Jassi, A., Mataix-Cols, D., Barrow, F., & Krebs, G. (2015). Outcomes of cognitive behaviour therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder in young people with and without autism spectrum disorders: a case controlled study. Psychiatry Research, 228, 813. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2015.03.012CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nakao, S., Nakagawa, A., Oguchi, Y., Mitsuda, D., Kato, N., Nakagawa, Y., Tamura, N., Kudo, Y., Abe, T., Hiyama, M., Iwashita, S., Ono, Y., & Mimura, M. (2018). Web-based cognitive behavioral therapy blended with face-to-face sessions for major depression: randomized controlled trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 20, e10743. doi: 10.2196/10743.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) (2011). Generalised anxiety disorder and panic disorder in adults: Management. Clinical guideline [CG113].Google Scholar
Okazaki, T., Saeki, S., & Hachisuka, K. (2013). [Adolescent normative data on simple neuropsychological tests for cognitive behavioral disorders: Mini-Mental State Examination, Trail Making Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test-KFS Version and Miyake’s Verbal Paired-Associate Learning Test]. Japanese Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, 50, 962970.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Perihan, C., Burke, M., Bowman-Perrott, L., Gallup, J., Thompson, J., & Sallese, M. (2019). Effects of cognitive behavioral therapy for reducing anxiety in children with high functioning ASD: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 27.Google Scholar
Russell, A. J., Jassi, A., Fullana, M. A., Mack, H., Johnston, K., Heyman, I., Murphy, D. G., & Mataix-Cols, D. (2013). Cognitive behavior therapy for comorbid obsessive-compulsive disorder in high-functioning autism spectrum disorders: a randomized controlled trial. Depression and Anxiety, 30, 697708. doi: 10.1002/da.22053CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Seki, Y., Nagata, S., Shibuya, T., Yoshinaga, N., Yokoo, M., Ibuki, H., Minamitani, N., Kusunoki, M., Inada, Y., Kawasoe, N., Adachi, S., Yoshimura, K., Nakazato, M., Iyo, M., Nakagawa, A., & Shimizu, E. (2016). A feasibility study of the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of individual cognitive behavioral therapy for panic disorder in a Japanese clinical setting: an uncontrolled pilot study. BMC Research Notes, 9, 458.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sheehan, D. V., Lecrubier, Y., & Otsubo, T. (2010). Brief structured interview for psychiatric disorders: M.I.N.I. and M.I.N.I. KID. Rinsho-Seishin-Igaku, 39, 4348.Google Scholar
Sheehan, D. V., Lecrubier, Y., Sheehan, K. H., Amorim, P., Janavs, J., Weiller, E., Hergueta, T., Baker, R., & Dunbar, G. C. (1998). The Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.): the development and validation of a structured diagnostic psychiatric interview for DSM-IV and ICD-10. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 59, 2233.Google ScholarPubMed
Tsuchiyagaito, A., Hirano, Y., Asano, K., Oshima, F., Nagaoka, S., Takebayashi, Y., Matsumoto, K., Masuda, Y., Iyo, M., Shimizu, E., & Nakagawa, A. (2017). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder with and without autism spectrum disorder: gray matter differences associated with poor outcome. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 8, 143. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00143CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Uljarevic, M., & Hamilton, A. (2013). Recognition of emotions in autism: a formal meta-analysis. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 43, 15171526CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ung, D., Selles, R., Small, B. J., & Storch, E. A. (2015). A systematic review and meta-analysis of cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety in youth with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 46, 533–47. doi: 10.1007/s10578-014-0494-yCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
van der Vaart, R., Witting, M., Riper, H., Kooistra, L., Bohlmeijer, E. T., & van Gemert-Pijnen, L. (2014). Blending online therapy into regular face-to-face therapy for depression: content, ratio and preconditions according to patients and therapists using a Delphi study. BMC Psychiatry, 14, 355.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
van Schalkwyk, G., Marin, C. E., Ortiz, M., Rolison, M., Qayyum, Z., McPartland, J. C., Lebowitz, E. R., Volkmar, F. R., & Silverman, W. K. (2017). Social media use, friendship quality, and the moderating role of anxiety in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 47, 28052813. doi: 10.1007/s10803-017-3201-6CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Van Steensel, F. J. A., Bogels, S. M., & Perrin, S. (2011). Anxiety disorders in children and adolescents with autistic spectrum disorders: a meta-analysis. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 14, 302317.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Velikonja, T., Fett, A. K., & Velthorst, E. (2019). Patterns of nonsocial and social cognitive functioning in adults with autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Psychiatry, 76, 135151. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2018.3645CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vernmark, K., Hesser, H., Topooco, N., Berger, T., Riper, H., Luuk, L., Backlund, L., Carlbring, P., & Andersson, G. (2019). Working alliance as a predictor of change in depression during blended cognitive behaviour therapy. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, 48, 285299. doi: 10.1080/16506073.2018.1533577CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wakabayashi, A., Tojo, Y., Baron-Cohen, S., & Wheelwright, S. (2004). [The Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) Japanese version: evidence from high-functioning clinical group and normal adults]. Shinrigaku Kenkyu, 75, 7884.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wechsler, D. (1997). Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, 3rd edn. The Psychological Corporation, San Antonio.Google Scholar
Westwood, H., Stahl, D., Mandy, W., & Tchanturia, K. (2016). The set-shifting profiles of anorexia nervosa and autism spectrum disorder using the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychological Medicine, 46, 18091827.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zaboski, B. A., & Storch, E. A. (2018). Comorbid autism spectrum disorder and anxiety disorders: a brief review. Future Neurology, 1, 3137. doi: 10.2217/fnl-2017-0030CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yirmiya, N., Erel, O., Shaked, M., & Solomonica-Levi, D. (1998). Meta-analyses comparing theory of mind abilities of individuals with autism, individuals with mental retardation, and normally developing individuals. Psychological Bulletin, 124, 283307CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.