Distinguishing autism spectrum disorder and social anxiety: Exploring adaptive skills among university students

High comorbidity and diagnostic overlap between autism spectrum disorder and social anxiety disorder have been documented. We examined if differences in adaptive behavior, essential for daily functioning, could differentiate these conditions among young university students. Eighty-eight autistic and 123 non-autistic undergraduates were categorized into four groups: autistic individuals: with low (n = 26)/high (n = 62) social anxiety (SA) symptoms; non-autistic: with low (n = 63)/high (n = 60) SA. The Adaptive Behavior Assessment System (ABAS) was utilized to assess three domains of adaptive skills essential for daily functioning: conceptual (academic and communication abilities), social (relationships and understanding social cues), and practical (everyday tasks such as self-care and work). Autistic students, regardless of SA level, reported ABAS scores within the low average range for the conceptual adaptive behavior domain, while non-autistic students had average scores. In terms of ABAS social adaptive behavior scores, both autistic and non-autistic groups with high levels of SA had low average scores. Conversely, those with low SA, whether autistic or non-autistic, exhibited average scores. These results were supported by the regression analyses outcomes. While autism traits and social anxiety showed medium (β=-0.37) and small (β=-0.27) effects, respectively, on conceptual adaptive scores, only social anxiety exhibited significant (medium) effects on social (β=-0.41) and practical (β=-0.34) adaptive scores. Reduced conceptual skills, previously linked to communication and executive function, may distinguish autism from social anxiety. Implications for research and practice are discussed.