Therapies for autistic pre-teens and teenagers: what they are and how they can help

There are many therapies and supports that can help autistic children of all ages, including young autistic people aged 9-18 years.

There are also some therapies and supports have been developed specifically for autistic pre-teens and teenagers or that are particularly helpful for them. These therapies can help your autistic child as they get older and might need support to:

• handle more demanding schoolwork and increasing responsibilities
• build independence
• manage puberty
• build healthy self-esteem and social relationships
• manage romantic relationships and sexual feelings
• deal with low moods.

Below we describe therapies and supports for you and your autistic pre-teen or teen to think about.

The therapies and supports you choose should be based on your child’s preferences, strengths and needs. Ideally, professionals will work with you to create a personalised approach to therapy, which is the best way to help your child learn, develop and thrive.

Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for young autistic people

Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is a structured psychological treatment based on the idea that how we think and feel affects how we behave.

CBT can help young autistic people:

• recognise unhelpful thoughts or behaviour
• identify the emotions related to the thoughts and behaviour
• challenge unhelpful thoughts
• respond to difficult emotions in healthier ways.

For example, if your autistic child is being excluded, they might feel lonely, think that nobody likes them and stop taking part in social activities. CBT could help your child explore their thoughts and look at the situation differently. For example, ‘It’s not my fault people don’t understand my autism. I’ll be able to find friends who like me for who I am’.

CBT programs also often teach relaxation strategies that can help autistic pre-teens and teenagers manage anxiety.

CBT is a ‘talking therapy’. This means your child needs an adequate understanding of language to benefit from it.

Modelling for young autistic people

Modelling involves an adult or a peer showing a young autistic person how to do something, which they then copy.

Modelling can help young autistic people learn various skills – for example, social skills like booking an appointment over the phone, or skills for self-care and hygiene.

Video modelling is a type of modelling. You can use ready-made videos or make your own. For example, you could record yourself, your child or someone else modelling skills like packing a bag for a day out or ordering food at a restaurant.

Peer training for non-autistic young people

Peer training teaches siblings, classmates and other peers to understand, accept and respect autistic people.

This approach benefits both autistic and non-autistic young people. For example, it helps everyone learn about and appreciate people’s diverse strengths and interests and gives them the chance to develop friendships.

Peer training programs can also reduce bullying.

Social skills programs for young autistic people

Social skills programs can help young autistic people:

• learn about social cues like eye contact, body language, tone of voice and facial expression
• learn to solve social problems like disagreements or miscommunication
• understand other people’s perspectives
• understand themselves.

In a social skills program, young autistic people might work on social skills one on one with a therapist or as part of a group.

Social skills programs might teach specific skills, or they might focus more on providing opportunities for children to connect with like-minded peers. For example, your child might join a gaming social skills group run by a therapist. This could give your child the opportunity to connect with peers with similar interests and strengths in a supported environment.

Some programs include community outings to help young people practise their skills in real-world settings.

Stepping Stones Triple P for parents of young autistic people

Stepping Stones Triple P is a parenting program for parents of children with a developmental disability aged up to 12 years.

It can help you:

• understand your child’s needs
• manage your child’s challenging behaviour and developmental needs
• encourage new behaviour
• develop a close relationship with your child
• teach your child new skills.

Triple P also runs other programs that might help parents of autistic young people. These include:

• Fear-Less Triple P, a parenting program for parents of children aged from 6 to 14 years who experience anxiety
• parenting groups for parents of teenagers aged 12-16 years
• seminars about parenting teenagers.

Visual supports for young autistic people

Visual supports are tools like visual timers, picture schedules, colour-coded calendars and image-based instructions. Visual supports present information in a visual way and can show step by step how to do tasks or activities.

Young autistic people often use visual supports like checklists, stickers or wrist counters to keep track of their activities.

Visual supports can help young autistic people to manage their own needs more independently. For example, your child’s goal might be to remember the steps in their morning hygiene routine. Each time your child completes a step, they mark it off on their checklist. This helps them monitor their progress and stay motivated.

Looking after yourself with healthy food, regular exercise and enough rest will keep you in good shape to care for your autistic child. If your feelings about your child’s disability are sometimes overwhelming, it might help to know that there are positive ways to manage them. Getting support from your local community can often be a big help too.