Couples facing the autism spectrum disorder challenge : a literature review concerning emotionally focused therapy effectiveness

Abstract

Recent surveys reinforce the fact that Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is on the rise. In these cases, the family faces a chronic condition which etiology and means of treatment are still debated. The impact of the new reality is well known in the literature as a considerable increase in marital distress. Hence, until recently all the concern was around the therapy of the child. The comprehension of the psychological impact faced by the couple lead to a new approach addressing an integrative treatment plan in the case of ASD. In the new light, couple therapy is considered valuable inorder to higher the family quality of life. The present literature review off ers an overview of research exploring the eff ectiveness of one couple intervention known as Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for couples that deal with the challenge of ASD. A number of 182 studies were identifi ed as exploring the subject, out of which only four were eligible for further analysis. Two of the studies question the eff ectiveness of EFT in the case of chronically ill children and the other two question the eff ectiveness in the case of ASD. The reported results show a decrease of the marital distress following EFT intervention. The review highlights the further need of studies exploring EFT for parents rising ASD children and mentions practical implications of the current analysis.