Virtual group-based mindfulness for autistic adults: A randomized controlled trial.

A randomized controlled trial with 63 autistic adults across Canada found that a 6-week manualized, autistic-informed, group-based virtual mindfulness intervention reduced overall distress and stress, and improved self-compassion, mindfulness, and mental wellbeing, with gains maintained at an 8-week follow-up. The waitlist control group showed no changes. Neither group reported changes in autistic community connectedness or interoceptive sensitivity. The findings support virtual delivery of autistic-informed mindfulness programs.

Study at a glance

Abstract

There is evidence for mindfulness as a mental health intervention for autistic adults, but most of the research has focused on in-person interventions. This randomized controlled trial evaluated the impact of a 6-week manualized autistic-informed group-based virtual mindfulness intervention in comparison to a waitlist control. Sixty-three autistic adults from across Canada were randomly assigned to treatment or waitlist. Both groups completed surveys prior to randomization, at 7 and 15 weeks, and the waitlist group was followed for two additional time points after receiving mindfulness. We compared outcomes at the first three time points by group using linear mixed models with a secondary analysis including outcome measures from the waitlist group after intervention. Improvements in overall distress and stress, as well as self-compassion, mindfulness, and mental wellbeing were reported in the treatment condition, maintained at follow-up. No changes were reported in the waitlist condition. Neither group reported changes in terms of autistic commnity connectedness, or interoceptive sensitivity following intervention or follow-up. This study supports the virtual delivery of autistic-informed mindfulness-based programs. Further work could explore the unique benefits of synchronous group-based virtual mindfulness in contrast to more asynchronous ways to build mindfulness skills and in-person instruction.Lay abstractSome studies have shown that learning mindfulness helps autistic people, but most of these studies were done in person. We wanted to know if learning mindfulness online in a group would help improve autistic adults' mental health. We randomly put people into two groups (a waitlist and people who got to be in the mindfulness group right away). This means people did not get to pick which group they went into. A total of 63 autistic adults were in the project. After 6 weeks of mindfulness, the people who learned mindfulness said they felt less stressed, and they were more mindful, and had better wellbeing, and more compassion or kindness for themselves, and these changes were still there 8 weeks later. The people who did not get to do mindfulness right away did not say they felt any different. Neither group said they felt more connected to other autistic people and neither group said they were more aware of the sensations they could feel inside their bodies. This tells us that we can teach groups of autistic people to do mindfulness online together, and it can help at least some autistic adults with their mental health. We need to do more research to find out how much mindfulness training people need, if it is better to learn in person or online, and if it is better to learn as part of a group or alone.