Acceptance and commitment therapy for autistic adults: A randomized controlled pilot study in a psychiatric outpatient setting.

Researchers tested a special therapy program called NeuroACT for autistic adults who feel stressed. Twenty adults did 14 weeks of group therapy while 19 received usual care. Those in the therapy group reported feeling less stressed and having better quality of life. They also got better at handling difficult thoughts and didn't avoid stressful situations as much.

However, the therapy didn't help with depression, anxiety, or sleep problems. More research is needed to know how helpful this program really is.

This randomized controlled pilot study evaluated NeuroACT, an autism-adapted acceptance and commitment therapy program for autistic adults experiencing stress and mental health challenges. Thirty-nine participants were randomized to either 14 weeks of NeuroACT group therapy (n=20) or ordinary care (n=19). The NeuroACT group showed significant improvements in stress levels and quality of life compared to controls, along with better psychological flexibility and reduced avoidance behaviors. However, no significant differences were observed for depression, anxiety, sleep problems, autism-related social aspects, daily functioning, or executive challenges.

The intervention was considered logical and reasonable by participants, though slightly more participants discontinued treatment in the NeuroACT group compared to ordinary care.

NeuroACT shows promise for addressing stress and quality of life in autistic adults but appears insufficient as standalone treatment for depression/anxiety. May be valuable as part of comprehensive mental health support. Larger trials needed to establish efficacy and optimal delivery methods.

Small pilot study (n=39) limits generalizability. Slightly higher dropout rate in treatment group raises questions about acceptability. Short-term outcomes only - no follow-up data reported. Multiple outcome measures without correction for multiple testing may inflate significance.

Autistic adults are often stressed and feel depressed or anxious. However, mental health programs that are suited for autistic adults are few. Acceptance and commitment therapy is a psychotherapy method that seems to help people feel better, although not thoroughly evaluated in autistic individuals. In this study, 20 autistic adults had 14 weeks of acceptance and commitment therapy group treatment suited for autism (NeuroACT), while 19 autistic adults had ordinary care.

The acceptance and commitment therapy group treatment program seemed logical and reasonable to the participants. Also, when comparing the participants in the NeuroACT group with those in the ordinary care group, the NeuroACT participants reported less stress and higher quality of life. Compared to the ordinary care group, they could also manage distressing thoughts better, perceived themselves as more flexible, and did not avoid stressful situations as much as before. However, there was no significant difference between the groups in depression, anxiety, sleep problems, social aspects of autism, everyday functioning, or executive challenges.

Slightly more NeuroACT participants did not finish the treatment than ordinary care participants. In conclusion, the NeuroACT program may be a treatment for autistic adults who feel stressed and have reduced quality of life. More studies are needed to see how helpful the NeuroACT program is for autistic adults.