Background: Interventions using cognitive-behavioural approaches have been suggested to be effective for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In the current review, the authors attempt to clarify how these cognitive-behavioural approach interventions may deliver their intended effects by examining the relationships between their aims, content/skills addressed, and outcome measures. Method: A total of 39 studies reporting on cognitive-behavioural approaches for children with ASD were located through a database search, examined, and relevant data were subsequently extracted. Result: There was a notable lack of correspondence between the intervention aims, content/skills taught, and the outcome variables measured. Mastery of intermediate knowledge and skills, which were presumed to indirectly facilitate desired behaviour change, was not typically assessed. Conclusion: It is very difficult to determine the contribution of components to the effectiveness of multiple-component approach interventions. More cost-effective cognitive-behavioural approach interventions may be possible with research focusing on examining the effectiveness of individual components, in particular with single-subject experimental design research.