The January-March 2011 issue of Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders contains an article by researchers from Louisiana State University investigating symptoms of anxiety across the lifespan in people diagnosed with autism disorder. Researchers looked at cohorts ranging in age from 17 months to 65 years old. In each group, they measured anxiety levels by having primary caregivers fill out tests created specifically to measure symptoms of anxiety in individuals with autism. Symptoms of anxiety include aggression, self-stimulation, avoidance and escape. Researchers controlled for intellectual disabilities.
This study found that anxiety levels in people with ASD followed a similar pattern to anxiety in typical individuals but elongated and delayed. Anxiety symptoms rose from toddlerhood to childhood, dropped during young adulthood, and rose again in older adulthood but not to the levels found during toddlerhood. In this study toddlers were defined as 17-36 months, children as 3-16 years, young adults as 20-48, and older adults as 49-65. Caretakers reported that children with ASD were more easily upset than older individuals with ASD. This could be due to a delayed ability to manage emotions caused by anxiety. The exhibition of more behaviors associated with anxiety in children with ASD may be coping mechanisms as these children do not yet have strategies for avoiding triggers.
Researchers suggest one reason anxiety symptoms decrease in young adulthood is that individuals are better aware of how to handle feelings of anxiety. Also, individuals can avoid triggers and caretakers can avoid presenting stimulus that causes anxiety symptoms. The decrease in anxiety symptoms could be due to greater use of behavioral interventions and medication use.
This study would have even greater validity if one group of individuals with autism were studied across the lifespan, though this would be nearly impossible to complete. Parents should take comfort in knowing that behaviors associated with anxiety such as aggression and self-stimulation do decrease after childhood.
Davis III, Thompson E., Hess, Julie A., Moree, Brittany N., Fodstad, Jill C., Dempsey, Tim, Jenkins, Whitney S., and Matson, Johnny L. (2011). Anxiety symptoms across the lifespan in people diagnosed with Autistic Disorder. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders 5(1), 112-118.
