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Thinking flexibly: A cognitive remediation therapy-informed intervention for autistic youth
Jasmin Dipre1, Lauren Burton1, Kate Tchanturia1,2
1King's College London, UK.
Autism : the International Journal of Research and Practice
|December 31, 2025
Summary
A new intervention, "Thinking Flexibly," was tested in autistic adolescents. The program showed good acceptability and led to improvements in cognitive flexibility, anxiety, and depression symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Neurodevelopmental disorders
- Cognitive psychology
- Clinical psychology
Background:
- Autistic individuals often exhibit challenges with cognitive flexibility.
- These difficulties are linked to adverse outcomes like anxiety and depression.
- Existing interventions may not adequately address cognitive inflexibility in autism.
Purpose of the Study:
- To pilot a novel intervention, "Thinking Flexibly," designed to target cognitive inflexibility in autistic adolescents.
- To assess the acceptability and preliminary efficacy of this co-designed intervention.
Main Methods:
- Twenty autistic adolescents received an eight-session "Thinking Flexibly" intervention.
- Acceptability was measured by dropout rates and session completion.
- Questionnaires assessed cognitive inflexibility, anxiety, depression, and functional outcomes pre- and post-intervention.
Main Results:
- The intervention demonstrated good acceptability, with 19/20 participants completing the program.
- Significant moderate improvements in cognitive flexibility were reported by participants and parents.
- Participants showed significant reductions in anxiety and depression symptoms.
Conclusions:
- The "Thinking Flexibly" intervention is acceptable for autistic adolescents.
- The program shows promise as a standalone or adjunctive therapy for improving cognitive flexibility and mental health.
- Further research in larger trials is warranted to confirm these promising outcomes.
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