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Cognitive remediation interventions for autistic youths?
Thinking flexibly is the key, researchers say
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By Peter Clark (Senior Editor, Autism Info Center) Tuesday 6th January 2026 |
A study in the UK by Jasmin Dipre, Lauren Burton, and Matthew J Hollocks, has put forward new kind of intervention which aims to specifically target cognitive inflexibility in autistic youths.
The 'Thinking Flexibly' intervention was co-designed with autistic youth based on previous work, including cognitive remediation therapy.
Autistic people often have greater difficulties with flexible thinking when compared to those without autism.
People with difficulties in this area often appear to be 'stuck' in their style of thinking or in their way of behaving.
This can have a negative impact on several areas of life, including on their mental health.
In their study, the team developed and tested the new intervention to help autistic individuals think more flexibly and found that those taking part subsequently reported improvements in cognitive flexibility and mental health symptoms.
Notably, participants reported significant reductions in symptoms of anxiety and depression, which are significant problems for many people with autism - especially youngsters.
In short, cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) is an established intervention targeting cognitive processes that are strongly associated with a diagnosis of autism.
CRT encourages patients to become more aware of their thinking processes and provides alternative strategies.
It also encourages the use of within-session experimentation with different ways of thinking and behaving, which can then be reflected upon during the next session.
This technique helps by directly targeting rigid thinking styles rather than focusing immediately on emotional processing, which can sometimes cause disengagement.
Over eight sessions, the program encourages young people to try to understand their own thinking processes and try to improve their "bigger picture" thinking, multitasking, and ways to manage their tendencies toward perfectionism.
Source: Sage Journals (UK)
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13623613251407294
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