Increased psychiatric symptoms in university students with autism spectrum disorder are associated with reduced adaptive behavior

Zukerman, Gil; Yahav, Gili; Ben-Itzchak, Ester

doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2019.01.098

Cited by 21 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 76 publications

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“…Parent-and self-reported trait anxiety levels were higher for the autism sample for some, but not all, of the standardised questionnaires, indicating the importance of testing instrument validity in this population. These higher levels of trait anxiety in adolescents on the autism spectrum reflect similar findings in child and adult studies (Corbett et al, 2019;Zukerman et al, 2019b). Mertens et al (2017) also identified good agreement between parent-and self-reported trait anxiety levels in participants on the autism spectrum, but, due to lower participant numbers during physiological testings, were unable to conduct correlational analysis between trait anxiety results and physiological measures.…”

Section: Trait Anxiety In Autismsupporting

confidence: 71%

“…In participants on the autism spectrum, STAI-T scores were found to positively correlate with several subjective measures including the autism spectrum quotient (AQ; rs = 0.48, p < 0.01; Maras & Bowler, 2012), Beck depression inventory (BDI; r = 0.51, p < 0.001; Zukerman et al, 2019b), and the social responsiveness scale (SRS-2) total and subscale scores (all r > 0.5, p < 0.001; South et al, 2017). There was also no significant correlation (p > 0.05) between STAI-T scores and those of other subjective measures including the inter-personal reactivity index-personal distress scale (IRI-PD; Althaus et al, 2015), Gudjonsson compliance scale (GCS) or Gudjonsson suggestibility subscales (GSS; Maras & Bowler, 2012), or Liebowitz social anxiety scale (LSAS; Zukerman et al, 2019b). Further, the STAI-T showed no significant correlation with additional study outcomes including sleep quality measures (Limoges et al, 2005), accuracy in pattern separation memory tasks (South et al, 2015), and university academic results (Zukerman et al, 2019a).…”

Section: Factors Associated With Trait Anxiety Scoresmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Jolliffe

Adams

Simpson

2022

Rev J Autism Dev Disord

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Although anxiety is commonly researched in autism, the focus has predominantly been on anxiety disorders and not upon general levels of anxiousness or trait anxiety. This review summarises research investigating trait anxiety in autism. Systematic searches yielded 1099 records, with 23 studies meeting inclusion criteria. Study participants were mainly males from Western countries, with no representation of older adults or individuals with intellectual disability. All articles used self-report questionnaire trait anxiety measures. Anxiety measure psychometric details were absent in most studies, with 21 using subjective measures that are not validated for use in autism. Results showed higher trait anxiety scores in autism versus control groups, and correlations between trait anxiety scores and other study outcomes.

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Section: Trait Anxiety In Autismsupporting

confidence: 71%

Section: Factors Associated With Trait Anxiety Scoresmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Jolliffe

Adams

Simpson

2022

Rev J Autism Dev Disord

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“…The ABAS-II has been used in several studies that examined adaptive behavior among individuals with ASD, indicating correlation between the ABAS-II GAC and ASD symptomatology (Kenworthy et al 2010;Lopata et al 2013). Among the current sample, the three ABAS-II composite scores were in the 16th percentile reflecting low average performance (Harrison and Oakland 2000) and significantly lower than among a control group of typically developing students matched for academic field affiliation, as reported in a previous study (Zukerman et al 2019a).…”

Section: Adaptive Behavior Assessment System (Abas-ii)supporting

confidence: 44%

The Gap Between Cognition and Adaptive Behavior in Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Implications for Social Anxiety and the Moderating Effect of Autism Traits

Zukerman

Yahav

Ben‐Itzchak

2020

J Autism Dev Disord

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The gap between cognitive ability and adaptive behavior has been thought to enhance psychopathology among people with autism, particularly among those without intellectual disability. We examined this association by exploring the gap between cognitive understanding of social behavior and socially adaptive behavior, and its impact on social anxiety symptoms, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and depressive symptoms, among 53 university students with autism (without intellectual disability). A higher cognition-social adaptation discrepancy was associated with more social anxiety, but this effect was moderated by autistic trait (AT) levels; a greater gap was associated with more avoidance symptoms of social anxiety only among students with high AT. Cognitive flexibility and prosocial behavior may mitigate the effects of AT. Potential implications and interventions are discussed. Keywords Cognitive ability • Adaptive behavior • Autism traits • Social anxiety • Autism Individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder exhibit a wide range of cognitive and verbal impairments (Ben-

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“…anxiety, depression) mediated the association between autistic symptoms severity and social dysfunction. Zukerman and colleagues (2019) found that adaptive behavior (e.g. social skills and communication) were negatively correlated with social anxiety and OCD symptoms among students with ASD.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Autism Spectrum Disorder and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: An unexplored co-occurrence of conditions

Haruvi-Lamdan

Horesh

Zohar

et al. 2020

Autism

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People with Autism Spectrum Disorder show an increased risk of experiencing potentially traumatic events, particularly social victimization. However, Autism Spectrum Disorder and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder co-occurrence was hardly studied. We examined exposure to potentially traumatic life events and PTSD symptoms in adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder vs typical adults. Twenty-five adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder and 25 typical adults were comparable on age and gender. Participants self-reported on potentially traumatic life events of social and non-social nature, and on PTSD symptoms related to their most distressing event. Results showed higher rates of probable-Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in the Autism Spectrum Disorder group (32%) compared with the typical adults group (4%). Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder reported more PTSD symptoms, particularly re-experiencing and hyper-arousal, compared with typical adults, although the latter was elevated only in females with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Participants with Autism Spectrum Disorder, especially females, reported more negative life events, particularly social events, than typical adults. Sixty percent of Autism Spectrum Disorder participants, but only 20% of typical adults, chose a social event as their most distressing event. Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and probable-Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder co-occurrence presented poorer social skills compared with those with Autism Spectrum Disorder alone. Results indicate increased vulnerability of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder to trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, especially due to social stressors. Females with Autism Spectrum Disorder may be particularly vulnerable to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Lay Abstract People with Autism Spectrum Disorder show an increased risk of experiencing traumatic events, particularly social victimization. However, Autism Spectrum Disorder and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder co-occurrence was hardly studied. We examined exposure to traumatic life events and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms in adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder vs typical adults. Two groups took part in this study: Twenty-five adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder and 25 typical adults of similar age and male to female ratio. Participants completed questionnaires on potentially traumatic life events of social and non-social nature, as well as on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms related to their most distressing event. Participants also filled out an autism traits questionnaire. Results showed a higher Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder rate in the Autism Spectrum Disorder group (32%) compared with the typical group (4%). Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder reported more Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms, particularly re-experiencing and increased physiological arousal, compared with typical adults, although the latter was elevated only in females with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Participants with Autism Spectrum Disorder, especially females, reported more negative life events, particularly social events, than typical adults. Sixty percent of Autism Spectrum Disorder participants, but only 20% of typical participants, chose a social event as their most distressing event. Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder who were also suspected as having Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (based on their questionnaires) presented poorer social skills compared with those with Autism Spectrum Disorder alone. Results indicate that individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder are more susceptible to trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, particularly due to social stressors. Females with Autism Spectrum Disorder may be especially vulnerable to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

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Increased psychiatric symptoms in university students with autism spectrum disorder are associated with reduced adaptive behavior

Cited by 21 publications

References 76 publications

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

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

The Gap Between Cognition and Adaptive Behavior in Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Implications for Social Anxiety and the Moderating Effect of Autism Traits

Autism Spectrum Disorder and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: An unexplored co-occurrence of conditions

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