Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent among Autistic people and are known to negatively impact overall well-being and quality of life. Although this is a growing topic area much remains to be understood about the mechanisms, correlates, measurement tools, and treatment approaches for anxiety among Autistic people. For instance, the mechanisms contributing to anxiety in Autistic people are not yet well understood, though emerging evidence suggests a complex interplay amongst anxiety-specific, Autism-specific, and social-contextual factors. Measurement of anxiety in Autistic people has historically relied upon tools developed and normed with general population samples, which do not consider Autism-specific manifestations of anxiety symptoms. Treatments have largely focused on school-aged children, with little focus on young Autistic children and adults. Further, there is a need for research focused on samples of Autistic people who are non-speaking, have intellectual disability and/or genetic syndromes, and those with high support needs.
The goal of this research topic is to present a curated and diverse collection of the latest advances in the study of anxiety in Autistic people, including cutting-edge work on mechanisms, correlates, measurement tools, and treatment approaches. We are especially excited to showcase studies that use longitudinal methods, conduct moderator analyses, focus on young Autistic children or Autistic adults, include participants with co-occurring intellectual disability or genetic syndromes, and are conducted by Autistic researchers and/or in partnership with Autistic community members. We will be soliciting studies with an Autism-affirming approach to the subject matter and encourage prospective authors to review the following language guidelines and articles prior to submission: https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2020.0014; https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1251058. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies are welcome.
Topics may include:
- Genetic, neurobiological, environmental, and/or socio-cultural factors that confer risk for or resilience against the development of anxiety disorders in Autistic people.
-Shared and/or unique profiles of anxiety symptoms across heterogeneous subgroups of Autistic people (e.g., genetic subgroups, demographic subgroups).
- Mechanisms that may mediate or moderate the development, maintenance, or treatment of anxiety symptoms in Autistic people (e.g., emotion dysregulation, intolerance of uncertainty).
- Advancement in the measurement of anxiety symptoms in Autistic people, including further evaluation of recently developed Autism-specific measurement tools.
- Treatment of anxiety disorders for young Autistic children, Autistic adults, those with co-occurring Intellectual Disability, who are non-speaking, and/or who have high support needs; particularly treatments that are Autism-affirming.
Topic Editor Dr. Alana McVey is currently employed by the private practice, the Center for Behavioral Medicine. The other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regard to the Research Topic subject.
Keywords:
Autism, Anxiety, Neurodiversity, Measurement, Treatment
Important Note:
All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent among Autistic people and are known to negatively impact overall well-being and quality of life. Although this is a growing topic area much remains to be understood about the mechanisms, correlates, measurement tools, and treatment approaches for anxiety among Autistic people. For instance, the mechanisms contributing to anxiety in Autistic people are not yet well understood, though emerging evidence suggests a complex interplay amongst anxiety-specific, Autism-specific, and social-contextual factors. Measurement of anxiety in Autistic people has historically relied upon tools developed and normed with general population samples, which do not consider Autism-specific manifestations of anxiety symptoms. Treatments have largely focused on school-aged children, with little focus on young Autistic children and adults. Further, there is a need for research focused on samples of Autistic people who are non-speaking, have intellectual disability and/or genetic syndromes, and those with high support needs.
The goal of this research topic is to present a curated and diverse collection of the latest advances in the study of anxiety in Autistic people, including cutting-edge work on mechanisms, correlates, measurement tools, and treatment approaches. We are especially excited to showcase studies that use longitudinal methods, conduct moderator analyses, focus on young Autistic children or Autistic adults, include participants with co-occurring intellectual disability or genetic syndromes, and are conducted by Autistic researchers and/or in partnership with Autistic community members. We will be soliciting studies with an Autism-affirming approach to the subject matter and encourage prospective authors to review the following language guidelines and articles prior to submission: https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2020.0014; https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1251058. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies are welcome.
Topics may include:
- Genetic, neurobiological, environmental, and/or socio-cultural factors that confer risk for or resilience against the development of anxiety disorders in Autistic people.
-Shared and/or unique profiles of anxiety symptoms across heterogeneous subgroups of Autistic people (e.g., genetic subgroups, demographic subgroups).
- Mechanisms that may mediate or moderate the development, maintenance, or treatment of anxiety symptoms in Autistic people (e.g., emotion dysregulation, intolerance of uncertainty).
- Advancement in the measurement of anxiety symptoms in Autistic people, including further evaluation of recently developed Autism-specific measurement tools.
- Treatment of anxiety disorders for young Autistic children, Autistic adults, those with co-occurring Intellectual Disability, who are non-speaking, and/or who have high support needs; particularly treatments that are Autism-affirming.
Topic Editor Dr. Alana McVey is currently employed by the private practice, the Center for Behavioral Medicine. The other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regard to the Research Topic subject.
Keywords:
Autism, Anxiety, Neurodiversity, Measurement, Treatment
Important Note:
All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.