Child and Family Characteristics Associated with Symptoms of Anxiety in Autistic Children: A Biobank Study.

This study looked at what makes autistic children more likely to have anxiety. They studied 452 Australian autistic children and found that almost 63% had some type of anxiety. Poor sleep was the biggest factor linked to all types of anxiety. Older children (over 5) were more likely to have certain types of anxiety, and children with higher abilities were more likely to have social anxiety. When mothers had anxiety, their children were more likely to have separation anxiety.

This biobank study analyzed 452 autistic children from the Australian Autism Biobank to identify predictors of four anxiety types: generalized, phobic, separation, and social anxiety. Results showed 62.8% had at least one anxiety type. Poor sleep quality was the only consistent predictor across all anxiety types. Age over five years predicted generalized, separation, and phobic anxiety.

Higher cognitive abilities predicted generalized and social anxiety. Maternal anxiety predicted children's separation anxiety. The study provides valuable insights into specific risk factors for different anxiety presentations in autistic children.

Results support screening for sleep problems as a key anxiety risk factor. Clinicians should consider age-appropriate anxiety interventions, with particular attention to sleep hygiene. Higher-functioning children may need specific anxiety support, and family-centered approaches addressing maternal anxiety could benefit separation anxiety outcomes.

Study design is not specified in the abstract. Cross-sectional nature likely limits causal inferences. Biobank samples may not represent the broader autistic population. Anxiety measurement methods and diagnostic criteria are not detailed, potentially affecting validity of findings.

Autistic children have an increased likelihood of anxiety, but more research is needed on the characteristics that predict various types of anxiety in this population. In this study, we examined a range of child and family predictors of various types of anxiety using a sample of 452 autistic children from the Australian Autism Biobank. We used logistic regression to examine child and family predictors of four common types of anxiety in autistic children: generalised, phobic, separation, and social anxiety. We found that 62.8% of children in this sample had symptoms of at least one type of anxiety.

Poor quality sleep habits were the only predictive factor consistently identified across all anxiety symptom types. Specific to children with indicated generalised, separation, and phobic anxiety symptoms were the predictive factors of being older than five years, and specific to generalised and social anxiety were the predictive factors of higher cognitive abilities. Maternal anxiety was also a predictive factor in indicated children's separation anxiety. These findings can help inform the provision of more targeted support for autistic people, particularly the interaction of poor sleep habits and anxiety symptoms.