DRAFT LESSON IDEA
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
Autism Spectrum Disorder and Substance Abuse.
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
Submitted to
Dr. Floralba Arbelo Marrero
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
EDCO 725 D03
By
Rhonda Lee Wright
October 27, 2025
DRAFT LESSON IDEA 1
Narrowed focus: Solution-focused brief therapy
Topic: Autism Spectrum Disorder and Substance Abuse:
Working with this population of individuals can be challenging due to their cognitive
processes. They are using the executive function of their brains to process information.
Individuals who are on the spectrum tend to have habitual routines that are consistent with
their daily lives. There is a problem that has not been addressed for people who are officially
diagnosed with being at a higher level of the autism spectrum disorder. The issue is substance
abuse, such as alcoholism, Schedule II drugs, i.e., cocaine, methamphetamine, kratom,
barbiturates, opioids, etc. The critique needed for this topic would ask if solution-focused brief
therapy is appropriate for this population. Researchers have correlated cognitive behavioral
therapy for this population, and from this writer's perspective, CBT is not an appropriate
therapy, whereas CBT is about supporting individuals with changing how they think by avoiding
unhelpful thinking patterns.
Is this intervention adequate for those on the spectrum? Do they need to change the
way they think? Or do they need to develop and return to their original cognitive processing?
SFBT is a short-term modality where individuals can rebuild habits and routines consistent with
their environment, and due to the high sensory factors for those on the autism spectrum over
overstimulation may do more harm than good. Short-term therapy may support this population
with relearning self-soothing techniques and applying them to their daily routine. The teaching
will provide neurological processing of those who are on the spectrum, showing the comparison
in the difference in the brain structure of someone who is not diagnosed with Autism, and a
brain that has been diagnosed as being on the spectrum. A discussion on the different
interventions used and their successes and failures for this population, and a discussion on
developing a new DRAFT LESSON IDEA 2
intervention and therapeutic modality focused specifically on those with a diagnosis of Autism
spectrum disorder. This class will be an active learning class where students will be able to share
their thoughts, opinions, and ideas with the instructor.
