Psychosocial interventions

Psychosocial interventions include social communication, education, functional analysis and behaviour interventions, sensory interventions, and psychological therapy to address common behavioural, neurodevelopmental and psychiatric problems in people with autism spectrum disorder. Psychosocial interventions are commonly used by allied health professionals.

Social communication interventions have the best evidence for improving the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder. They include interventions that increase joint attention, engagement and reciprocal communication (eg applied behavioural analysis, social skills groups), and should be delivered by a trained allied health professional (see Allied health interventions for people with autism spectrum disorder).

Communication can be augmented by visual means (eg picture communication books, diaries, rule books) and by modelling appropriate sequences of behaviour using social stories (eg personalised picture and text stories of daily or special events); see Communicating with a person with developmental disability using clear examples and diagrams.

Functional behaviour analysis can be used to ascertain the causes of challenging behaviour and to design an intervention. For more advice, see Challenging behaviour.

Sensory intervention can help manage sensory induced stress by identifying and avoiding sensory stimuli that provoke anxiety, and identifying calming sensory stimuli and enabling their use in difficult situations. Refer to an occupational therapist with expertise in autism spectrum disorder.

Psychological therapies such as mindfulness and cognitive behaviour therapy have good evidence for use in anxiety disorders.

Psychoeducational support for parents and siblings, together with an individual management program, produces a better outcome.