Can a New Problem-Solving Approach Help Children with Autism and ADHD?

What you need to know

• A new therapy approach called PR-ESSENCE improved behavior and functioning in children with autism and ADHD
• Over half of children who received the therapy showed significant improvement, compared to only 5% of those who did not
• The therapy focuses on helping children and parents develop problem-solving strategies together
• Improvements were seen in areas like disruptive behavior, ADHD symptoms, and oppositional behaviors

What is PR-ESSENCE therapy?

PR-ESSENCE stands for “Problem Resolution in Early Symptomatic Syndromes Eliciting Neurodevelopmental Clinical Examinations.” It’s a new therapy approach designed to help children with complex neurodevelopmental disorders like autism and ADHD who struggle with challenging behaviors.

The therapy aims to change how children and parents think about and handle problem situations. Some key aspects include:

• Building a positive relationship between the therapist and family
• Helping the child feel listened to and understood
• Using visual aids like drawing to help explain situations
• Guiding the child and parents to understand what causes problem behaviors
• Practicing problem-solving strategies at home between sessions
• Educating parents about their child’s strengths and difficulties

A major goal is to help both the child and parents shift their mindset toward working together to solve problems, rather than getting stuck in conflicts.

What did the study find?

The researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial to test whether PR-ESSENCE therapy was effective. They included 108 children aged 5-18 who had diagnoses like autism and ADHD along with challenging behaviors.

The children were randomly assigned to either receive 10 weeks of PR-ESSENCE therapy or continue with their usual care. The key findings were:

• 51% of children who received PR-ESSENCE therapy showed significant improvement in their overall symptoms and functioning, compared to only 5% of those who didn’t receive the therapy
• Children who had the therapy showed greater improvements in disruptive behaviors, ADHD symptoms, and oppositional defiant behaviors compared to those who didn’t
• The therapy led to moderate improvements in the children’s own ratings of their disruptive behavior
• Parents reported less stress and fewer behavior problems at home after their children had the therapy

How does this compare to other treatments?

The improvements seen with PR-ESSENCE therapy were similar to or better than those found in studies of other well-established behavioral therapies for children with these types of challenges. This suggests PR-ESSENCE could be a promising new option.

One advantage of PR-ESSENCE is that it was designed specifically for children with complex neurodevelopmental disorders like autism and ADHD combined. Many previous studies have only looked at children with one specific diagnosis.

Why is this approach helpful?

Children with autism, ADHD, and related disorders often struggle with:

• Controlling their emotions and behavior
• Being flexible when things don’t go as expected
• Understanding other people’s perspectives
• Problem-solving in challenging situations

PR-ESSENCE therapy targets these underlying difficulties by:

• Helping children practice problem-solving skills
• Teaching parents how to support their child’s problem-solving
• Improving communication between parents and children
• Giving parents a better understanding of their child’s specific challenges

By addressing these core issues, rather than just trying to stop “bad” behaviors, the therapy aims to create lasting improvements in how families handle difficult situations.

What were some limitations of the study?

While the results are promising, there were some limitations to keep in mind:

• More children dropped out of the PR-ESSENCE therapy group (16.7%) than the usual care group (2.8%) during the study. This could mean the therapy was too demanding for some families.
• By 6 months after the study, about 45% of families were no longer participating in follow-up assessments. This makes it harder to know if improvements lasted long-term.
• The study was conducted at one clinic in Sweden. More research is needed to see if the results would be similar in other settings and cultures.

Conclusions

• PR-ESSENCE therapy shows promise as an effective treatment for children with autism, ADHD, and related disorders who struggle with challenging behaviors
• The therapy led to significant improvements in overall functioning and specific behavior problems for many children
• More research is still needed, but PR-ESSENCE could become a valuable new option for families dealing with these complex challenges
• The focus on collaborative problem-solving between children and parents may help create more lasting positive changes than simply trying to control behaviors

While not a cure-all, this new therapy approach offers hope for families looking for ways to improve daily life and interactions with children who have autism, ADHD, and related neurodevelopmental differences. As always, families should consult with their healthcare providers to determine the best treatment options for their specific situation.