Measuring Anxiety as a Treatment Endpoint in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Luc Lecavalier, Ohio State University; Jeffrey J. Wood, University of California, Los Angeles; Alycia K. Halladay, Autism Speaks; Nancy E. Jones, Autism Speaks; Michael G. Aman, Ohio State University; Edwin H. Cook, University of Illinois; Benjamin L. Handen, University of Pittsburgh; Bryan H. King, University of Washington; Deborah A. Pearson, University of Texas Medical School; Victoria Hallett, Kings College London; Katherine Anne Sullivan, University of Washington; Sabrina Grondhuis, Ohio State University; Somer L. Bishop, Weill Cornell Medical College; Joseph P. Horrigan, Autism Speaks; Geraldine Dawson, Autism Speaks; Lawrence Scahill, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2014-05-01
• Publisher: Springer Verlag (Germany)
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York.
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10803-013-1974-9
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
• ISSN: 0162-3257
• Volume: 44
• Issue: 5
• Start Page: 1128
• End Page: 1143
• Keywords: DSM-IV; Measure; PSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES; Autism spectrum disorder; PSYCHIATRIC-DISORDERS; COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL THERAPY; Instrument; RATING-SCALE; Psychology; Social Sciences; PERVASIVE DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS; MULTIPLE INFORMANT AGREEMENT; Assessment; Intervention; Anxiety; Treatment; REVISED CHILD ANXIETY; Psychology, Developmental; INTERVIEW SCHEDULE; ADOLESCENTS
• Research Categories: Psychology, Developmental

Abstract

Despite the high rate of anxiety in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), measuring anxiety in ASD is fraught with uncertainty. This is due, in part, to incomplete consensus on the manifestations of anxiety in this population. Autism Speaks assembled a panel of experts to conduct a systematic review of available measures for anxiety in youth with ASD. To complete the review, the panel held monthly conference calls and two face-to-face meetings over a fourteen-month period. Thirty eight published studies were reviewed and ten assessment measures were examined: four were deemed appropriate for use in clinical trials, although with conditions; three were judged to be potentially appropriate, while three were considered not useful for clinical trials assessing anxiety. Despite recent advances, additional relevant, reliable and valid outcome measures are needed to evaluate treatments for anxiety in ASD.