Addressing Anxiety in Autistic Individuals

Lauren Moskowitz, PhD, is a professor of psychology at St. John’s University. Her research focuses on parent-mediated behavioral interventions and the integration of family-based Positive Behavior Support (PBS) with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to improve quality of life and treat anxiety in youth with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Autistic youth — particularly those with intellectual disability — are at elevated risk for anxiety, yet research and clinical services targeting anxiety and related challenging behavior in this population remain limited. Dr. Moskowitz’s lecture describes how to use a multicomponent intervention that integrates Positive Behavior Support (PBS) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT; Moskowitz et al., 2017). Attendees will learn how to apply CBT strategies (psychoeducation, gradual exposure, and cognitive restructuring) within a PBS Prevent-Replace-Respond framework, with prevention strategies designed to minimize the triggers for anxiety (e.g., increasing predictability, providing choices), replacement strategies designed to replace the anxious behaviors with approach and coping behaviors, and response (consequence-based) strategies designed to positively reinforce the child’s attempts to approach or cope with a feared situation and minimize reinforcement/accommodation for the child’s anxious behaviors.

• Attendees will be able to describe how cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) strategies (e.g., gradual exposure, cognitive restructuring, psychoeducation) can be modified or adapted for autistic individuals without intellectual disability.
• Attendees will be able to describe how CBT strategies can be modified or adapted for autistic individuals with intellectual disability.
• Attendees will be able to describe prevention strategies, teaching/replacement strategies, and response/ consequence strategies from Positive Behavior Support (PBS) to address anxiety in autistic individuals.

Lauren Moskowitz, PhD, has no relevant financial relationship with ineligible companies to disclose.

The Child Mind Institute Visiting Professor Lecture Series invites leaders in the field of child and adolescent mental health to talk about the latest research and treatment protocols. All events are open to the public. Continuing medical education (CME) credits for psychiatrists and continuing education (CE) credits for psychologists and social workers are available to registered course participants. Learn more.

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