Trait Anxiety in Individuals on the Autism Spectrum: a Systematic Review

Jolliffe, Rebecca; Adams, Dawn; Simpson, Kate

doi:10.1007/s40489-022-00308-8

Cited by 13 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 93 publications

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“…Elevated levels of perceived stress in ASD are linked to poor social functioning, social outcome, and quality of life [ 3 , 4 , 7 ]. Individuals with ASD encounter increased stress across diverse domains, including sensory challenges, which correspond to anxiety levels [ 8 , 9 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stress in autism (STREAM): A study protocol on the role of circadian activity, sleep quality and sensory reactivity

Gernert,

Falter-Wagner,

Noreika

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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Mental health issues are markedly increased in individuals with autism, making it the number one research priority by stakeholders. There is a crucial need to use personalized approaches to understand the underpinnings of mental illness in autism and consequently, to address individual needs. Based on the risk factors identified in typical mental research, we propose the following themes central to mental health issues in autism: sleep difficulties and stress. Indeed, the prevalence of manifold circadian disruptions and sleep difficulties in autism, alongside stress related to sensory overload, forms an integral part of autistic symptomatology. This proof-of-concept study protocol outlines an innovative, individualised approach towards investigating the interrelationships between stress indices, sleep and circadian activation patterns, and sensory sensitivity in autism. Embracing an individualized methodology, we aim to collect 14 days of data per participant from 20 individuals with autism diagnoses and 20 without. Participants’ sleep will be monitored using wearable EEG headbands and a sleep diary. Diurnal tracking of heart rate and electrodermal activity through wearables will serve as proxies of stress. Those objective data will be synchronized with subjective experience traces collected throughout the day using the Temporal Experience Tracing (TET) method. TET facilitates the quantification of relevant aspects of individual experience states, such as stress or sensory sensitivities, by providing a continuous multidimensional description of subjective experiences. Capturing the dynamics of subjective experiences phase-locked to neural and physiological proxies both between and within individuals, this approach has the potential to contribute to our understanding of critical issues in autism, including sleep problems, sensory reactivity and stress. The planned strives to provide a pathway towards developing a more nuanced and individualized approach to addressing mental health in autism.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stress in autism (STREAM): A study protocol on the role of circadian activity, sleep quality and sensory reactivity

Gernert,

Falter-Wagner,

Noreika

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Elevated levels of perceived stress in ASD are linked to poor social functioning, social outcome, and quality of life (3,4,7). Individuals with ASD encounter increased stress across diverse domains, including sensory challenges, which correspond to anxiety levels (8,9). Indeed, a major source of stress in autism are sensory-processing difficulties (10)(11)(12).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stress in autism (STREAM): A study protocol on the role of circadian activity, sleep quality and sensory reactivity

Gernert

Falter‐Wagner

Noreika

et al. 2023

Preprint

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This proof-of-concept study protocol describes a novel approach towards investigating interrelationships between stress indices, sleep and circadian activation patterns, and sensory sensitivities in autism. We will adopt an individualised approach, collecting 17 days of data per person from 20 participants with and 20 without autism. Participants' sleep will be tracked by using wearable EEG headbands and a sleep diary. Diurnal monitoring of heart rate and electrodermal activity via wearables will serve as proxies of stress and will be time-locked to subjective experience traces collected throughout the day. These traces quantify the experience dimensions such as stress and sensory sensitivities (e.g., sensory overload). Capturing the dynamics of subjective experience phase-locked to neural and physiological proxies between and within individuals can potentially tackle some of the most pressing issues in autism: sleep problems, sensory overload and stress, and will ultimately lead to an individualised prognostic approach to mental health in autism.

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“…The ASD—as well as its subclinical forms—manifest as reduced social skills, as empirical research has repeatedly shown (Ke, Whalon, & Yun, 2018). In addition, autistic traits confer risks for anxiety symptoms (Jolliffe, Adams, & Simpson, 2022; Pickard et al., 2017). A prospective test is needed to determine whether the effects of autistic traits on anxiety are mediated by reduced social skills, or whether autistic traits serve as confounders, producing spurious relationships between the two.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social skills and symptoms of anxiety disorders from preschool to adolescence: a prospective cohort study

Asgarabad

Steinsbekk

Wichstrøm

2023

Child Psychology Psychiatry

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Background Prior research, mostly cross‐sectional or prospective studies with short follow‐up periods, has indicated that childhood anxiety is associated with difficulties with social interaction. However, the etiological role of social skills in the development of anxiety in childhood remains unknown. Moreover, it is not known whether childhood anxiety impedes the development of age‐appropriate social skills. Methods The relation between anxiety and social skills was, therefore, examined in two birth cohorts of children who were assessed biennially from the ages of 4 to 14 years (n = 1,043). Semistructured psychiatric diagnostic interviews of children (from age 8) and parents were used to measure symptoms of separation, generalized, and social anxiety disorders as well as specific phobias. Social skills were measured through the parent‐reported Social Skills Rating System. A random intercept cross‐lagged panel model was used to analyze the data, adjusting for observed time‐variant covariates (emotion regulation, secure attachment, bullying victimization, and global self‐esteem) and all unobserved time‐invariant confounding effects. Results Reduced social skills predicted increased symptoms of anxiety at ages 8, 10, and 12 (β = −.26, β = −.17, and β = −.15, respectively), whereas an increased number of anxiety symptoms did not forecast changes in social skills. Conclusions The findings suggest that reduced social skills may be involved in the development of anxiety symptoms in middle childhood and should, therefore, be considered in efforts to prevent and treat childhood anxiety.

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Trait Anxiety in Individuals on the Autism Spectrum: a Systematic Review

Cited by 13 publications

References 93 publications

Stress in autism (STREAM): A study protocol on the role of circadian activity, sleep quality and sensory reactivity

Stress in autism (STREAM): A study protocol on the role of circadian activity, sleep quality and sensory reactivity

Stress in autism (STREAM): A study protocol on the role of circadian activity, sleep quality and sensory reactivity

Social skills and symptoms of anxiety disorders from preschool to adolescence: a prospective cohort study

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