Brief Report: Feasibility and Preliminary Efficacy of Individual Mindfulness Therapy for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

McGarty et al. (2018) tested a short, one-to-one mindfulness course for adults with autism. The course taught breathing, body scans, and labeling feelings. Therapists met each adult alone, so the lessons fit personal triggers like work stress or loud buses.

Nine adults joined. The team asked: Can we run the course the same way each time? Do clients like it? Does emotion control get better?

Seven of the nine adults improved on at least one emotion skill. Some had fewer meltdowns. Others named feelings faster. Therapists stuck to the script and clients gave high marks.

The study shows the plan is doable and may help, but it is still early data.

Thomson et al. (2015) ran a child CBT course and also saw gains. Both studies used short, manual-based lessons, proving brief formats can work across ages.

Weissman-Fogel et al. (2015) tried group mindfulness with teens and parents. M et al. trimmed the course to one adult at a time, showing the same idea can shrink to solo sessions.

Anthony et al. (2020) found that kids with strong language gain more from CBT. M et al. did not test predictors, so future work should check if verbal level also helps adults in mindfulness.

You now have a ready-made mindfulness script for adults with autism. Start with a short body-scan in your next session. Track one emotion goal, like “name anger before it hits 5.” If the client likes it and data climb, keep going; if not, pivot just as M et al. did.