Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

This article discusses the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and its importance in educational settings. It explores evidence-based practices and the role of teachers in implementing these interventions. The article also provides examples of strategies and interventions that can be used to support children with ASD.

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Cognitive Behavioral Intervention
Name
Institution

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COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION
Introduction
The field of ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) is constantly evolving and changing.
Practically every day we are learning new things on how educators should support students in
schools to enable them to learn suitable skills as well become more independent (Maiano et al.
2016). Autism is a disorder that challenges professionals and families to establish effective and
appropriate intervention that can enhance the lives of people with ASD (Zwaigenbaum et al.
2015). There are many interventions for ASD. Some of the Interventions that have been
identified by researchers to be effective are referred to as Evidence-based practices. By
Evidence-based practice, we mean intervention as well as instructional programs or practices
having effective scientific evidence. This paper is divided into different parts. The first part
provides information on evidence-based practice. The second part discusses the importance of
evidence-based practices more so in educational practices. The third part discusses how
cognitive behavioral intervention works to support children’s development with ASD. This paper
also offers examples of individual approaches and strategies that could be used by teachers in an
educational setting. I prefer that the teachers should use Cognitive-behavioral interventions as
one of the best EBP for children with ASD.
Evidence-based practices
Evidence-based practices are described often as teaching programs, instructional
strategies, or interventions that result in steady positive children outcomes. EBPs are the
effective educational strategies which are supported by research and evidence (Wong et al.

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2015). EBP is an extremely important element in educational as well as therapy programs for
youth, adults, and children with ASD. Given the rising numbers of children with autism,
Teachers needs an understanding of the best evidence-based practices to meet these children’s
individual educational goals. Many researchers affirm that the use of the cognitive behavioral
intervention in schools improves the learning outcomes of most children with Autism. Therefore,
it is essential for educators to use cognitive behavioral intervention to those children with Autism
Spectrum Disorder. Evidence is acquired through different forms of assessment. The assessment
may include educators’ observation, peer assessment as well practical performance and it may
also constitute the data and information that is used in gauging the educational attainment as well
as the progress of groups, individuals, and cohorts. Therefore, the evidence-based practice can be
described as interventions, instructional programs or practices that have shown constant positive
results thru experimental testing. Evidence-based practices involve the application of evidence
to: decide on suitable teaching strategies; and monitor the progress of the students as well as
evaluate teaching effectiveness. EBP remains a buzzword word more so in modern professional
debates, for instance, in medicine, education, social policy, and psychiatry. The term EBP is
widely used in an educational context because improvements in educational outcomes and
student learning depend on the use of appropriate evidence in classroom practice. The main
focus of evidence-based practice is to use the best evidence to bring about necessary results or
prevent unnecessary ones. The concept of EBP has its roots in medicine. The crucial idea
remains that decisions established by any medical practitioners should rely on the most suitable
evidence collected thru rigorous research. The EBP movements in education extremely followed
the momentum established by the work of Cochrane for autism. Many researchers found out that
the use of evidence-based practices in schools is quite essential for the development of children.

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Importance of evidence-based practices
The free environments in educational setting are where most of the teachers work may be
breeding grounds for low job satisfaction and apathy. In order to protect the self-esteem of
teachers, increase job satisfaction as well as re-energize such situations in teaching, evidence-
based practices should be adopted (Bergsmann et al. 2015). The main benefits of using EBP are
that it enables the policymakers or teacher to acquire more knowledge about consequences and
actions that can bring rational decision making.
Research indicates that EBPs have major benefits for students more so those with Autism
Spectrum Disorder (Biesta, 2015). The main reasons why teachers should use evidence-based
practices are the same as why most doctors use evidence-based practices to treat their patients.
Many educationalists suggest that the use of information gained from assessment or evidence can
maximize children learning as well as outcomes (Norton, 2018). The use of evidence is essential
in that it can help in improving the focus of teaching in the classroom. Evidence can also be used
to focus children’s attention to their weaknesses and strengths. Teachers can also use evidence to
improve planning and programming (Sam et al. 2019). Therefore, in order to support most
students to attain quality educational outcomes, teachers should ensure that appropriate evidence
is used. The evidence should be explicit as well as accountable one, which is valid,
representative, reliable, and equitable. It is also important for the teachers to use evidence-based
practices because it remains mandated by the ESEA (Elementary and Secondary Education Act).
The other benefits of using evidence-based practices for children and educators are:
 Increased accountability since there are data to support the selection of a program or
practice, which then facilitates support from parents, administrators, and others
 An increased possibility of being quick to respond to students’ needs

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 A greater possibility of convincing learners to attempt it since there is proof that it works
 Fewer wasted resources and less wasted time because teachers start off with appropriate
program or practice and they are not forced to use that works through error and trial
 An increased possibility of a positive child or learner outcomes
Cognitive behavioral intervention
CBI refers to control of cognitive processes or instruction on management that led to
changes more so in overt behavior (Pfeiffer, Clark & Arbesman, 2018). CBI is a variety of
similar interventions that can be used in changing behavior by teaching people to understand as
well as change behaviors and thoughts (Spain et al. 2017). This intervention can greatly help
children to manage and control the problems that they are facing by changing their behaviors.
Cognitive behavioral intervention is one of the main non-pharmacologic treatments more so for
people with emotional and mental disorders, particularly depression. CBI mainly concentrates on
changing ineffective or negative patterns of behavior and thoughts with properly structured
approaches that can assist in improving mood as well as adaptive functioning (Johnson et al.
2018). Supporting children with ASD needs individualized as well as effective intervention
strategies. According to most researchers, the use of CBI can greatly help children with autism.
The research conducted by most researchers also revealed that the use of cognitive-behavioral
strategies brings about positive behavior in the classroom.
When educators use a cognitive-behavioral intervention, they can assist their students to
manage their own behavior, instead of trying to control the behavior of the student with only
external reinforcement (Huguet et al. 2016). Within CBI, behavioral strategies try to modify
cognitive techniques and self-destructive actions thereby changing how individuals behave and
think about a situation as well as processes information. The cognitive behavioral intervention

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allows teachers to pair motivating reinforcers and/or change antecedent conditions to help
promote new skills and encourage positive behavior, while also concentrating on changing
thought processes or maladaptive cognitions. Emerging evidence indicates that, when modified
to the developmental level of a child, Cognitive behavioral intervention can be an effective and
appropriate intervention for children with ASD. This is because CBI can be used in teaching
children on how to manage and examine their own emotions and thoughts, recognize when
negative emotions and thoughts are increasing in intensity, and then apply appropriate strategies
to alter their behavior and thinking. Cognitive-based intervention requires educators to instruct
learners on suitable strategies that can increase positive behavior, promote self-regulation, as
well as reduce inappropriate behavior (Zwaigenbaum et al. 2015). It involves giving direct
instruction by educators to learners in a particular problem-solving strategy, relaxation,
communication skills, self-instruction, as well as situational self-awareness. CBIs are often used
together with other EBPs including reinforcement, social narratives, as well as parent-
implemented intervention. It is true that Cognitive-behavioral intervention is more effective for
children under the age of 6 to 11 years and student under the age of 15 to 18 years. It can also be
used to address social, behavior, communication, adaptive, cognitive, as well as mental health
outcomes.
According to most researchers, the main responsibility of the professionals who teach in
the areas of autism and special education is to have adequate knowledge regarding effective
strategies and intervention (Whalon et al. 2015). These strategies as well as intervention so they
can provide caregivers and families with vital information to allow them to differentiate between
unsubstantiated and effective strategies, and work toward guaranteeing that effective services, as
well as teaching methodologies, are presented to all learners (Tondeur et al. 2017). The main

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goal of strategies as well as the intervention is to enhance social communication and modify
behaviors. The family often becomes interventionists and teachers. Families should offer a
suitable environment for the effective development of the child. Teachers need to integrate and
recognize goals that promote a family’s cultural as well as linguistic communication values as
well as preferences. Another important intervention is social communication interventions. These
interventions are designed to increase individual social skills. It made use of social group settings
as well as other platforms to promote socially appropriate communication and behaviors. The use
of Social scripts as a strategy will also help children to use different language skills more so
during social interactions. Other strategies and interventions that should be employed in an
educational setting include:
Educational component: This type of intervention would concentrate on teaching the
kid something similar to the presenting concern, for example teaching the children to label
emotions as well as educating them on coping skills.
Cognitive Restructuring: This will where the educators assist an individual in changing
their maladaptive beliefs that they hold. This is essential because it will help children in changing
the bad beliefs that they hold and instead replace them with the most appropriate beliefs
Visual supports: This will be helpful for children with autism who most of the time have
sturdy visual perception skills. Visual support can be carried out by using a visual scale that will
gauge the severity of the symptoms of the autism.
Homework Assignments: Cognitive behavioral intentions require that the individual
finishes assignments provided during the session. The individuals should also finish applicable
data collection and then be provided with the homework to be done at home.

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Parent training: Training of parents is more beneficial especially for children with ASD
since parents may help support suggestion offered by the Teachers in the classroom. Parents can
assist the child in finding opportunities to practice appropriate skills. This type of interventions is
quite essential for the development of most children.
Conclusion
This paper discussed how Cognitive-behavioral intervention can help children with ASD.
It is true that CBI is one of the evidence-based practices listed by the NPDC. Cognitive
behavioral intervention refers to a variety of similar interventions that can be used in changing
behavior by teaching people to understand as well as change behaviors and thoughts (Demetriou
et al. 2018). Evidence-based practices as discussed in this paper are the effective educational
strategies which are supported by research and evidence. The use of evidence-based practice is
more essential to children with autism because it helps in improving the focus of teaching in the
classroom (Wilson, 2017). The main focus of EBP is to enable the child to acquire
communication, play, social, as well as academic skills. Therefore, teachers should offer
structured programming for the effective use of evidence-based practices. We also found out that
the use of evidence-based practice in the educational context is more complicated. It is necessary
for special educators, particularly in the area of autism to obtain training in order for them to
acquire skills and knowledge. Teachers should also be provided with appropriate tools to
precisely assess the research to identify a suitable EBP. Teachers should also gain information on
how they should implement evidence-based practice.

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