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Brief Report: Social Anxiety in Autism Spectrum Disorder is Based on Deficits in Social Competence
J Espelöer1, M Hellmich2, K Vogeley3
1Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Strasse 62, 50924, Cologne, Germany. julia.espeloeer@uk-koeln.de.
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
|May 16, 2020
Summary
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience heightened social anxiety and intolerance of uncertainty. Their social anxiety stems from autism-specific social skill deficits, not just general social anxiety disorder.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Developmental disorders
Background:
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by social interaction difficulties.
- The relationship between social anxiety and social competence in ASD requires further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To differentiate the constructs of social anxiety and social competence in individuals with ASD.
- To compare these constructs in ASD with non-clinical (NC) and social anxiety disorder (SAD) populations.
Main Methods:
- Utilized SASKO and Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) questionnaires.
- Compared 23 individuals with ASD to 25 NC individuals and 68 individuals with SAD.
Main Results:
- Individuals with ASD exhibited elevated social anxiety and intolerance of uncertainty compared to NC.
- ASD social anxiety scores were comparable to SAD, but ASD showed greater social competence deficits than both SAD and NC groups.
Conclusions:
- Social anxiety in ASD appears linked to underlying autism-specific social skill deficits.
- These deficits suggest distinct, deeper cognitive mechanisms contributing to social anxiety in ASD compared to SAD.
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