This Article Abstract Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Gillott, A. Articles by Standen, P.J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Gillott, A. Articles by Standen, P.J. Pubmed/NCBI databases Medline Plus Health Information Anxiety Autism Stress Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Levels of anxiety and sources of stress in adults with autism

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, UK, alinda.gillott{at}nottshc.nhs.uk

P.J. Standen

University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK

Clinical reports suggest that anxiety is a pertinent issue for adults with autism. We compared 34 adults with autism with 20 adults with intellectual disabilities, utilizing informant-based measures of anxiety and stress. Groups were matched by age, gender and intellectual ability. Adults with autism were almost three times more anxious than the comparison group and gained significantly higher scores on the anxiety subscales of panic and agoraphobia, separation anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. In terms of sources of stress, significant differences between the two groups were also found, and stress was found to correlate with high anxiety levels for the autism group, particularly the ability to cope with change, anticipation, sensory stimuli and unpleasant events. That is, the more anxious the individual with autism, the less likely they were able to cope with these demands. This has important implications for clinicians in terms of both assessment and treatment.

Key Words: anxiety • autism • stress

References

• Baron-Cohen, S. (1989) `Do Autistic Children have Obsessions and Compulsions? ', Journal of Clinical Psychology 28: 193—200.[CrossRef]
• Baron-Cohen, S., Leslie, A.M. & Frith, U. (1985) `Does the Autistic Child Have a "Theory of Mind"?', Cognition 21: 385—95.
• Bellini, S. (2004) `Social Skill Deficits and Anxiety in High-Functioning Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders', Focus on Autism and other Developmental Disabilities 19: 78—86.
• Bhardwaj, A., Agarwal, V. & Sitholey, P. (2005) `Asperger's Disorder with Co-Morbid Separation Anxiety Disorder: A Case Report', Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 35: 136—46.
• Ghaziuddin, M. (2005) Mental Health Aspects of Autism and Asperger Syndrome. London: JKP.
• Gillott, A., Furniss, F. & Walter, A. (2001) `Anxiety in High Functioning Children with Autism ', Autism 5 (3): 277—86.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
• Groden,J.,Diller,A.,Bausman,M.,Velicer,W.,Norman,G. & Cautela, J. (2001) `The Development of a Stress Survey Schedule for Persons with Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities', Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities 31: 207—17.[CrossRef]
• Groden, J., Levasseur, P. & Baron, G. (2002) `Stress and Anxiety: Assessment and Coping Strategies ', paper presented to the Inaugural World Autism Congress, Melbourne, Australia, 10—14 November 2002.
• Happé, F.G.E. (1994) Autism: Introduction to Psychological Theory. London: UCL Press.
• Hare, D.J. (1997) `The Use of Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy with People with Asperger Syndrome: A Case Study', Autism 1 (2): 215—25.[Abstract]
• Howlin, P. (1997) Autism: Preparing for Adulthood. London: Routledge.
• Howlin, P. (2000) `Outcome in Adult Life for More Able Individuals with Autism or Asperger Syndrome', Autism 4 (1): 63—83.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
• Kanner, L. (1943) `Autistic Disturbances of Affective Contact', Nervous Child 2: 217—50.
• Kim,J.A.,Szatmari,P.,Bryson,S.E.,Streiner,D.L.&Wilson,F.J. (2000) `The Prevalence of Anxiety and Mood Problems among Children with Autism and Asperger Syndrome', Autism 4 (2): 117—32.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
• Klein, R.G. (1994) `Anxiety Disorders', in M. Rutter, E. Taylor & C. Hersov (eds) Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: Modern Approaches, 3rd edn. Oxford: Blackwell.
• Moss, S., Prosser, H., Ibbotson, B. & Goldberg, D. (1996) `Factors Associated with Staff Support and Resident Lifestyle in Services for People with Multiple Difficulties: A Path Analytic Approach', Journal of Intellectual Disability Research 40: 547—65.
• Muris,P.,Steerneman,P.,Merckelbach,H.,Holdrinet,I.&Meesters,C. (1998) `Comorbid Anxiety Symptoms in Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders', Journal of Anxiety Disorders 12: 387—93.[CrossRef][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
• Nauta,M.H.,Scholing,A.,Rapee,R.M.,Abbott,M.,Spence,S.H. & Waters, A. (2004) `A Parent-Report Measure of Children's Anxiety: Psychometric Properties and Comparison with Child Report in a Clinic and Normal Sample', Behaviour Research and Therapy 42: 813—39.[CrossRef][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
• Reaven, J. & Hepburn, S. (2003) `Cognitive-Behavioural Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in a Child with Asperger Syndrome: A Case Report', Autism 7 (2): 145—64.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
• Rumsey, J.M., Rapoport, J.L. & Sceery, W.R. (1985) `Autistic Children as Adults: Psychiatric, Social and Behavioural Outcomes', Journal of the Academy of Child Psychiatry 24: 465—73.
• Russell, E. & Sofronoff, K. (2005) `Anxiety and Social Worries in Children with Asperger Syndrome', Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 39: 633—8.[CrossRef][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
• Rutgers,A.H.,Bakermans-Kranenburg,M.J.,Vanijzendoorn,M.H. & Van Berckelaer, I.A. (2004) `Autism and Attachment: A Meta-Analytic Review', Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 45: 1123—34.[CrossRef][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
• Sofronoff, K. & Attwood, T. (2003) `A Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Intervention for Anxiety in Children with Asperger's Syndrome', Good Autism Practice 4: 2—8.
• Spence, S.H. (1997) `Structure of Anxiety Symptoms among Children: A Factor-Analytic Study', Journal of Abnormal Psychology 106: 280—97.[CrossRef][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
• Spence, S.H. (1999) Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (Parent Version). Brisbane: University of Queensland.
• Szatmari,P.,Bartolucci,G.,Bremner,R.,Bond,S.&Rich,S.( 1989) `A Follow-Up Study of High-Functioning Autistic Children ', Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 19: 213—25.[CrossRef][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
• Tantam, D. (1991) `Asperger Syndrome in Adulthood', in U. Frith (ed.) Autism and Asperger's Syndrome. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Wechsler, D. (1999) Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence. San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corporation.
• Wing, L. (1981) `Asperger's Syndrome: A Clinical Account', Psychological Medicine 11: 115—29.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, Vol. 11, No. 4, 359-370 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/1744629507083585


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				B. R. Mueller and T. L. Bale Sex-Specific Programming of Offspring Emotionality after Stress Early in Pregnancy J. Neurosci., September 3, 2008; 28(36): 9055 - 9065. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This Article Abstract Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Gillott, A. Articles by Standen, P.J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Gillott, A. Articles by Standen, P.J. Pubmed/NCBI databases Medline Plus Health Information Anxiety Autism Stress Social Bookmarking                         What's this?