Thérapies cognitivo-comportementales pour les troubles anxieux chez les enfants et les adolescents ayant un trouble du spectre de l'autisme

Children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) show a higher prevalence of anxiety disorders than their peers in the general population. These disorders have important consequences on quality of life and for general adaptation of children and adolescents with ASD. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) offers effective strategies to reduce anxiety symptoms, but the characteristics related to ASD pose challenges in their implementation. This article addresses the issue of anxiety disorders in children and adolescents with ASD, particularly those without intellectual disabilities, according to four main aspects: the prevalence of these disorders in ASD; ASD characteristics which can have an influence on the development and the maintenance of anxiety disorders; the assessment of the anxiety disorders within the ASD population, and the adjustments to be made to CBT.