Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy and autism: a tool for inclusion based on rights

Abstract

Anxiety was a frequent comorbidity in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), negatively affecting their quality of life. Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) was positioned as an effective strategy to mitigate these symptoms, especially in children with high-functioning ASD. Several studies supported its effectiveness, showing improvements in the social adaptation and emotional well-being of this population. In the Argentine context, the approach to disability shifted from a medical model to a social rights paradigm, where it was considered that the real limitations were not individual, but social and structural. This new framework promoted the adaptation of therapies such as CBT, emphasising the need to personalise treatments according to the characteristics of the child's environment. It also involved guaranteeing accessibility in educational and health institutions, eliminating physical, communicational and attitudinal obstacles. National legislation, in particular Law 26.378, ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, obliging the State to provide therapeutic care under conditions of equality. However, significant challenges persisted in the implementation of these regulations. It was essential that professionals received continuous training and that families actively participated in the therapeutic processes. The evidence showed that integrating CBT into the social paradigm increased the chances of achieving genuine inclusion and a substantial improvement in the quality of life of children with ASD.