Anxiety Levels in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Meta-Analysis

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Abstract

The aim of the current study was to meta-analytically examine whether anxiety levels in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are elevated. A total of 83 articles were selected from a systematic literature search and were included in the meta-analyses. Results demonstrated that children with ASD had higher anxiety levels compared to typically developing children, and this difference increased with IQ. Youth with ASD also tended to have higher anxiety levels compared to clinically referred children, and this difference increased with age. Children with ASD had higher anxiety levels compared to youth with externalizing or developmental problems, but not when compared to youth with internalizing problems. The study findings highlight the importance of more research in order to fully understand the nature and development of anxiety in children with ASD. More specifically, the results suggest that especially high-functioning adolescents with ASD may be at risk for developing anxiety disorders. Therefore, it seems important to carefully follow and monitor children with ASD transcending to adolescence.

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Most cited references 80

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This article argues that the quality of diagnostic tools used to measure anxiety disorders in children and adolescents has improved enormously in the past few years. As a result, prevalence estimates are less erratic, understanding of comorbidity is increasing, and the role of impairment as a criterion for "caseness" is considered more carefully. Several of the instruments developed for epidemiologic research are now being used in clinical settings. Further integration of laboratory methods and clinical and epidemiologic ideas will benefit children with anxiety disorders and their families.

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High-functioning children with autism were compared with two control groups on measures of anxiety and social worries. Comparison control groups consisted of children with specific language impairment (SLI) and normally developing children. Each group consisted of 15 children between the ages of 8 and 12 years and were matched for age and gender. Children with autism were found to be most anxious on both measures. High anxiety subscale scores for the autism group were separation anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. These findings are discussed within the context of theories of autism and anxiety in the general population of children. Suggestions for future research are made.

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Social anxiety in high-functioning children and adolescents with Autism and Asperger syndrome.

Irma Moilanen, Marja-Leena Mattila, David Pauls … (2008)

We examined social anxiety and internalizing symptoms using the Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory for Children (SPAI-C), the Social Anxiety Scale for Children -Revised (SASC-R), and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) in a sample of fifty-four high-functioning subjects with autism or Asperger syndrome (HFA/AS) (M = 11.2 +/- 1.7 years) and 305 community subjects (M = 12.2 +/- 2.2 years). Children and adolescents completed the SPAI-C and SASC-R, and their parents completed the CBCL Internalizing scale. Adolescents with HFA/AS scored higher than the community sample on all measures. Behavioural avoidance and evaluative social anxiety increased by age within the HFA/AS group, whereas behavioural avoidance decreased by age in control participants. Data support that HFA/AS in adolescents may be associated with clinically relevant social anxiety symptoms.

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Author and article information

Contributors

Francisca J. A. van Steensel: f.j.a.vansteensel@uva.nl

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): J Child Fam Stud

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): J Child Fam Stud

Title: Journal of Child and Family Studies

Publisher: Springer US (New York )

ISSN (Print): 1062-1024

Publication date (Electronic): 20 March 2017

Publication date PMC-release: 20 March 2017

Publication date (Print): 2017

Volume: 26

Issue: 7

Pages: 1753-1767

Affiliations

[1 ]ISNI 0000000084992262, GRID grid.7177.6, Child Development and Education, , University of Amsterdam, ; Research priority area Yield, Nieuwe Achtergracht 127, 1018 WS Amsterdam, Netherlands

[2 ]De Opvoedpoli B.V., Dorpstraat 145, 2712 AG Zoetermeer, Netherlands

Article

Publisher ID: 687

DOI: 10.1007/s10826-017-0687-7

PMC ID: 5487760

PubMed ID: 28680259

SO-VID: f28c9cf1-8728-4536-8ea6-5b62880d3c9b

License:

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.