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A Familiarization Protocol Facilitates the Participation of Children with ASD in Electrophysiological Research

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Assessing and Treating Anxiety in Individuals with Autism.

Keira Moore^1,2,3, Amanda Bullard^1,2, Gemma Sweetman^1,4

¹The New England Center for Children, Southborough, MA, USA.

Behavior Modification

|October 29, 2021

Summary

This study developed methods to assess and treat anxiety in autistic individuals with limited communication. Treatments successfully reduced anxious behaviors, offering a new approach for this population.

Keywords:

anxiety autism differential reinforcement escape-maintained problem behavior exposure relaxation

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Area of Science:

Behavioral Psychology
Developmental Psychology
Clinical Psychology

Background:

Autism and anxiety frequently co-occur, yet research on assessing and treating anxiety in autistic individuals, particularly those with communication challenges, is limited.
Anxiety is characterized by behavioral responses to signaled aversive stimuli.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop and evaluate methods for assessing anxiety in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
To investigate the effectiveness of individualized treatments for reducing anxiety in this population.

Main Methods:

Study 1 assessed anxiety in five individuals with autism (ages 10-19) by measuring behavior during baseline, during signals for aversive events, and during aversive event exposure.
Study 2 employed individualized treatments, including differential reinforcement of alternative responses and stimulus fading, for four participants exhibiting anxiety.

Main Results:

Anxiety manifested as conditioned activation, suppression, and problem behavior during aversive events in Study 1.
Individualized treatments successfully reduced anxious responding in all four participants in Study 2.

Conclusions:

The study presents a viable method for assessing anxiety in individuals with autism, aiding in the identification of anxiety-provoking events and anxious behaviors.
The findings suggest that these assessment and treatment strategies can effectively manage anxiety in autistic individuals, potentially improving their quality of life.