What is it about?
This article presents a new therapeutic model called Cognitive Behavior Drama (CBD), which combines cognitive-behavioral strategies with elements of drama. Through the case of an 11-year-old boy with Asperger syndrome and a long-standing fear of hand dryers, the study demonstrates how fictional scenarios and playful dramatic techniques can help children confront and overcome deep-seated fears in a safe, engaging way.
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Why is it important?
This approach offers a creative and effective pathway to reach children who might otherwise remain difficult to engage through traditional therapeutic methods. By placing the child at the center of a fictional mystery story — as a detective, a superhero, or another empowered character — the method fosters motivation, emotional safety, and a sense of agency. The child is no longer a passive subject of treatment but an active participant in their own journey of overcoming fear. This imaginative framework unlocks therapeutic progress where more conventional approaches may have struggled, especially with children on the autism spectrum who respond best to indirect, playful, and meaningful engagement.
Perspectives
This was the first study I ever conducted, and it grew out of my deep wish to reach a child whose fear had become paralyzing. Writing it gave me the opportunity to combine therapeutic structure with creative expression in a way that felt both effective and meaningful. I hope this article encourages other therapists and educators to step beyond rigid protocols when needed and to discover the power of flexibility, imagination, and connection in their work with children on the autism spectrum.
Dr Haris Karnezi
Trinity College Dublin
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: A Novel Intervention to Address Fears in Children with Asperger Syndrome: A Pilot Study of the Cognitive Behaviour Drama (CBD) Model, Behaviour Change, December 2009, Cambridge University Press,
DOI: 10.1375/bech.26.4.271.
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