[Source: Medical News Today]

Researchers believe they have developed a psychological technique that improves the mental wellbeing of children with autism – through an activity that invents tiny characters the kids can then imagine are in their heads helping them out with their thoughts.
The technique – based on CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy – aims to build “social and emotional resilience,” particularly for high-functioning children with autism, by recruiting imaginary homunculi characters.
Homunculi are tiny human or human-like creatures. The term is historical, from a time when the fetus was thought to be formed from a microscopic but fully formed human being.
Prof. Tommy MacKay, from the University of Strathclyde in Scotland, is one of two researchers presenting their work on the CBT technique at a British Psychological Society meeting today, Thursday January 9, 2014.
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