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The use of Minecraft in the treatment of trauma for a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Author(s) -
Gerhardt Lisa,
Smith Jill
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of family therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1467-6427
pISSN - 0163-4445
DOI - 10.1111/1467-6427.12297
Subject(s) - autism spectrum disorder , psychology , neglect , perseveration , autism , attachment theory , dysfunctional family , narrative , neurotypical , cognition , psychotherapist , child abuse , clinical psychology , developmental psychology , psychiatry , medicine , poison control , suicide prevention , linguistics , philosophy , environmental health
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are more likely to be the victims of child abuse and neglect than neurotypical children. This paper explores the impact of trauma on children and families, specifically children with ASD, and takes into consideration the overlapping symptoms of attachment disorders. Due to the social, behavioural, communication, and emotion regulation deficits commonly experienced by children with ASD and the overlap with disrupted attachment, treating trauma in ASD children poses its own unique challenges. At the same time, family support and involvement in the treatment of trauma for a child with ASD is crucial to the child’s recovery. This case study explores how the narrative component of TF‐CBT was adapted using a video game called Minecraft to provide a structure for an 11‐year‐old boy with ASD and a history of abuse and neglect to process his traumatic experiences in a narrative format, with his father as his support person. As a result, the client demonstrated improvements in depression symptoms and reduced perseveration about the trauma itself. The client’s father benefitted from this process as well, in that he reworked his own thinking about his and the client’s relationships with extended family members. Practitioner points It is challenging to treat trauma in youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder due to deficits in cognition, behaviour, communication, and emotion regulation Symptoms of attachment disorders overlap with symptoms of ASD, which also presents a challenge to treatment It is important to consider family history and its impact on attachment when treating trauma symptoms in a child with ASD This method allowed for a helpful and effective processing and narration of the child’s traumatic experiences, and changes in the father’s perspective of his son’s experiences