Acceptability and Effectiveness of Humor- and Play-Infused Exposure Therapy for Fears in Williams Syndrome

ABSTRACT

Children with Williams syndrome often experience anxieties and fears, yet there are no published studies examining the effectiveness of psychological interventions to address these challenges. In the current study, we present a case series of nine young children with Williams syndrome ages 4 through 10 who participated in a play- and humor-infused approach to exposure therapy in several sessions over a 2–3 day period. Functional assessment was conducted to identify intervention targets. Symptom severity was tracked before the intervention. Following the intervention, symptom severity was once again tracked and measures of treatment acceptability were completed. Longer-term follow-up was also conducted 10–22 months after the intervention with parental ratings and narrative feedback. Results support the promise of this approach for reducing fears and anxieties in children with Williams syndrome. The impact of individual differences on treatment response and direction for further enhancements to the intervention to maximize its effectiveness and accessibility are discussed. Further, implications of this approach for intervention development with children with rare neurogenetic conditions are explored.

Acknowledgments

We are particularly grateful to the families who participated for their time and commitment to this work. We also thank the Williams Syndrome Association, an organization with a demonstrated commitment to furthering scientific research that addresses the concerns and priorities of people with Williams syndrome and their families.

Disclosure statement

Institutional Review Board approval was obtained from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee (Protocol #15.265). Informed consent was obtained from the parent to provide case material in this paper.

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by a grant from the Williams Syndrome Association (#0110).