Table 1 Summary of included studies

Sofronoff et al. [41]

Intervention 1: N = 23; intervention 2: N = 25; control (wait list): N = 23

Intervention 1–10.56 (0.99); intervention 2–10.54 (1.26); control—10.75 (1.04)

Intervention 1–87%; intervention 2–88%; control— 87%

CBT

Group

6

6 weeks

6 week follow-up

SCAS-P

Parent

Chalfant et al. [46]

Intervention: N = 28; control (wait list): N = 19

Overall sample—10.80 (1.35)

Overall sample—74%

Cool Kids program

Group

12

9 weekly sessions and 3 monthly booster sessions (6 months)

None reported

SCAS-P, SCAS-C, RMAS-C

Parent, child

Wood et al. [47]

Intervention: N = 14; control (wait list)l: N = 22

Overall sample—9.20 (1.49); intervention—9.18 (1.42); control—9.22 (1.57)

Intervention—71%; control—65%

Building confidence CBT program

Individual

16

16 weeks

None reported

ADIS-CSR, MASC-P, MASC-C

Clinician, parent, child

Sung et al. [48]

Intervention: N = 33; Control (Social recreational program): N = 31

Intervention—11.33 (2.03); control—11.09 (1.53)

Overall sample—94%; intervention—94%; control—94%

Modifications and adaptations were made from various CBT programs, including Coping Cat program, Exploring feelings and unpublished anxiety management programs from the Child Guidance Clinic and Autism Resource Centre

Group

16

16 weeks

3 and 6 months follow-up

SCAS-C

Child

Reaven et al. [30]

Intervention (TAU): N = 20; control: N = 23

Intervention—125.75 months (21.47); control—125 months (20.45)

Intervention—100%; control—92.3%

Facing your fears (FYF)

Group

12

12–16 weeks

None reported

ADIS-P

Clinician

McNally Keehn et al. [49]

Intervention: N = 12; control (wait list): N = 10

Overall sample—11.26 (1.53); intervention—11.65 (1.41); control—11.02 (1.69)

Intervention—100%; control—90%

Coping Cat program

Individual and two parent only sessions

16

16 weeks

2 month follow-up (CBT group only)

ADIS-P, SCAS-P, SCAS-C

Clinician, parent, child

Storch et al. [27]

Intervention: N = 22; control (TAU): N = 21

Overall sample—8.89 (1.34); intervention—8.83 (1.31); control—8.95 (1.40)

Intervention—79.2%; control—81%

BIACA

Individual families. Parents may have been present in child-focused components dependent on child's clinical and developmental needs

16

16 weeks

3 months follow-up (CBT group only)

PARS, ADIS-CSR, MASC-P, RCMAS

Clinician, Parent, Child

White et al. [50]

Intervention: N = 13; control (wait list): N = 12

Overall sample—175 months; intervention—170 months; control—180 months

Overall sample—77%; intervention—73%; control—80%

MASSI

Individual and group

13 individual, 7 group

14 weeks

None reported

PARS, CASI-Anx

Clinician, parent

McConachie et al. [51]

Intervention: N = 17; control (delayed therapy): N = 14

Intervention—11.70 (1.40); control—11.80 (1.30)

Intervention—88%; control—87%

Exploring feelings

Group

7

Endpoint assessment undertaken 3 months after baseline

6 and 9 months after baseline (rate of change reported for parent and child measures)

ADIS, SCAS-P, SCAS-C

Clinician, parent, child

Storch et al. [52]

Intervention: N = 16; control (TAU): N = 15

Overall sample—12.74 (1.34); intervention—12.75 (1.24); control—12.73 (1.49)

Intervention—75%; control—86.7%

BIACA

Individual families

16

16 weeks

1 month follow-up (CBT group only)

PARS, ADIS-CSR, RCDAS, MASC-P

Clinician, child, parent

Wood et al. [26]

Intervention: N = 19; control (wait list): N = 14

Overall sample—12.30 (1.14); intervention—12.40 (1.30); control—12.20 (0.98)

Overall sample—70%; intervention—68%; control—71%

BIACA

Individual families (30 min individual sessions each and 30 min with parents and child together)

16

16 weeks

1 month follow-up (analysis outcomes between post and 1 month assessment reported)

ADIS-IV-C/P, MASC-P, PARS, RCADS

Clinician, parent, child

Clarke et al. [53]

Intervention: N = 14; control (wait list): N = 14

Intervention—12.64 (0.85); control—12.86 (0.70)

Overall sample—100%; intervention—100%; control—100%

Exploring feelings

Group

6

6 weeks

6–8 weeks post-intervention

SCAS-P, SCAS-C

Parent, child

Conaughton et al. [28]

Intervention: N = 20; control (wait list): N = 18

Overall sample—9.74 (1.30); intervention—9.81; control—9.67

Overall sample—85.7%; intervention—76.2%; control—95.2%

BRAVE-ONLINE program

Individual

10 child, 6 parent. Two booster sessions undertaken 1 and 3 months after completion of program

10–14 weeks

3 months follow-up (CBT group only)

SCAS-P, SCAS-C

Parent, child

Luxford et al. [54]

Intervention: N = 18; control (wait list): N = 17

Overall sample—13.20 (1.10)

Overall sample—89%

Exploring feelings

Group

6

3 months (6 weeks, 6 weeks follow-up)

6 week follow-up

SCAS-P, SCAS-C

Parent, child

Murphy et al. [55]

Intervention: N = 17; control (counselling): N = 19

Intervention—14.94 (1.63); control—15.56 (1.91)

Intervention—59%; control—63%

MASSI CBT program

Individual and group

12 individual (plus one booster if needed) and 5 group

Not reported

12 weeks follow-up

ADIS-C, CASI-anx

Clinician, parent

Cook et al. [31]

Intervention: N = 14; control (wait list): N = 17

Overall sample—5.45 (0.83); intervention—5.50 (0.88); control—5.42 (0.81)

Overall sample—87.1%; intervention—85.7%; control—88.2%

Fun with feelings program

Group

10

9 weeks + 1 booster session one month later

3 months follow-up (CBT group only)

CBCL-Anx

Parent

Maskey et al. [56]

Intervention: N = 14; control (wait list): N = 13

Overall sample—129.56 months (24.78); intervention—130.13 (28.38); control—129 (21.51)

Overall sample—78.1%; intervention—81.3%; control—75%

Simplified CBT technique and VR sessions

Individual

1 CBT, 4 VR

Not reported

Immediate treatment group one additional follow-up at 12 months (target behaviours only)

SCAS-P, SCAS-C

Parent, child

Wood et al. [42]

Intervention 1: N = 66; intervention 2: N = 59; control (TAU): N = 18

Not reported

BIACA—72%; coping CAT—82%; control—100%

(1) Standard of practice CBT (Coping Cat),

(2) BIACA

Individual

16

16 weeks

6 month follow-up (data not reported in paper)

PARS, CBCL-Anx

Clinician, parent

Kilburn et al. [29]

Intervention: N = 25; control (wait list): N = 24

Overall sample—11.34 (1.77); intervention—11.99 (1.70); control—10.68 (1.60)

Overall sample—57%; intervention—60%; control—54%

Cool Kids ASD program

Group

10

13 weeks (10 weekly sessions with a 1-week break after sessions 3, 6, 8)

3 months (combined group follow-up assessment)

SCAS-P, SCAS-C

Parent, child