Social Adaptation Support in a Psychiatric Day Hospital for Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Mental Illness

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to report case studies of 2 adults with autism spectrum disorder attending a psychiatric day hospital, from the point of view of the ICF (International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health), in addition to examining an intervention for these patients. The participants (Case A and Case B) both had autism spectrum disorder and mental illness, with a history of suicidal behavior and low social adaptation. The vocational program included (a) vocational training, (b) social skill training (overall), (c) general meetings, and (d) individual meetings, as well as (e) social skill training (Case A only), (f) psychodrama (Case B only), and (g) psychological education in 3 small groups. The training was done from the viewpoint of the ICF. Both patients reported an improvement in how they related to other day-hospital users and to colleagues in the in-hospital internship, based on the awareness and learning that they had obtained in the social skill training and psychodrama. These results suggest that the point of view of ICF may have been effective in facilitating the social adaptation of these two adults, and also that medical care and social adaptation support may complement each other. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)