Till Örebro universitet

Many individuals with autism suffer from psychiatric comorbidity or experience low life quality, followed by a need for psychological healthcare. However, traditional interventions may not be adapted enough to their needs. Internet-based formats have the potential to increase access to necessary healthcare. Within this project, we developed an internet-based intervention targeting a range of life areas often struggled with by individuals with autism. The overall aim of this thesis is to investigate the feasibility, effectiveness and experiences of - as well as the participants’ communicative patterns in - the internet-based intervention, and to explore the concept sense of coherence in autistic adults. Study I is a longitudinal RCT evaluating the effects of the internet-based intervention in the quality of life and psychiatric symptoms of the participants. Study II is a qualitative interview study exploring the participant experiences of the intervention. Study III is a mixed method study exploring the participant’s communicative behavior during the intervention, and their potential relation to clinical outcomes. Study IV is a cross-sectional study investigating the sense of coherence among autistic individuals and its relation to autistic traits and quality of life.The findings of the four studies that constitute this thesis enhance our understanding of how an internet-based intervention can be adapted, implemented, and evaluated for individuals with autism. Furthermore, they provide insight into communicative behaviors that may be beneficial for participants to engage in during such an intervention, as well as clarify the relationship between autistic traits and sense of coherence in adults with autism.