# Morita Therapy as a Treatment Approach for Adolescent Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Five-Year Case Report Incorporating Inpatient and Diary Therapy

## TL;DR

This paper reports on a five-year Morita therapy treatment for a female adolescent with autism spectrum disorder, leading to significant symptom improvement and better social adaptation.

## Contribution

The paper presents a detailed case report of Morita therapy's application for adolescent autism, a novel use not widely documented in English literature.

## Key findings

- The patient's symptoms of dissociation, self-harm, and auditory hallucinations disappeared over five years of treatment.
- The patient developed a more appropriate way to relate to society through Morita therapy.
- Morita therapy was effective in treating a complex case of adolescent autism with severe behavioral issues.

## Abstract

In 1919, Shoma Morita established Morita therapy, and this method of psychotherapy is widely used in Japan and across the world. With time, the medical indications of Morita therapy have expanded to include not only neurosis and anxiety disorders but other conditions as well. In modern times, Morita therapy has been used to treat adolescentneurodevelopmental disorders; however, it has not been widely covered in the English-language literature. In this report, a five-year course of treatment for a female patient with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is presented. The patient exhibited dissociation, auditory hallucinations, overmedication, and wrist cutting, leading to multiple admissions to an adolescent ward. Over the treatment course, the symptoms of dissociation, self-harm, and auditory hallucinations disappear. Further, the patient was able to find a way to relate to society that was appropriate for her.