Family Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment for a Child With Autism and Comorbid Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) with exposure/response prevention is effective among youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and comorbid anxiety symptoms. This case illustrates the application of a modularized family-based CBT approach with a school-aged boy with autistic disorder and comorbid obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Following 16 family sessions over 21 weeks, "Jerry," a 9-year-old Caucasian male, showed significant reduction in obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Jerry's parents also reported improvements in emotional regulation, participation in school activities, and in his parent-child relationships. This case study illustrates the use of family-based CBT, which has been modified to account for social and behavioral deficits endemic to ASDs, for school-aged youth with autism and comorbid OCD.