Table 3.
Studies of Anxiety in Children and Adolescents with ASD with Focus on Treatment
| Author (year) | Na | Sample Characteristicsb | Anxiety measurec | Control groupd | Primary Findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bhardwaj et al. (2005) | 1 | AD 11-yr-old girl | C | None | A clinical case account of separation anxiety disorder comorbid with AS was presented. |
| Buitelaar et al. (1998) | 22 | PDD-NOS(20), AD(2). Age range: 6-17 (M: NA) | D, P, I | None | 16 of 21 children and adolescents with ASD who completed treatment showed a reduction in anxiety after treatment with buspirone. |
| Chalfant et al. (2006) | 47 | AS(34), HFA (13). Age range: 8-13 (M: 10) | I, S, P, O | Wait-list ASD | Compared to wait-list children, children who received CBT had a significant reduction in symptoms of anxiety per self-, parent-, and teacher-report. |
| Couturier & Nicolson (2002) | 17 | AD(14), AS(3). Age range: 4-15 (M: 9) | O | None | 10 of the 17 patients treated with citalopram showed improvement in target symptoms, of which anxiety was one |
| Edelson et al. (1999) | 12 | AD. Age range: 4-13 (M:7) | D, P | Placebo treatment | Treated children (with hug machine) had significant reduction in tension, but not in anxiety. |
| Johnson & Hollander. (2003) | 1 | AD. 11-yr-old boy. | C | None | Fish oil supplements with omega-3 fatty acids (1 g to 3 g daily), in addition to ongoing pharmacological and behavioral treatment program, resulted “elimination” of anxiety and agitation |
| Kauffmann et al. (2001) | 1 | PDD-NOS. 7-yr-old girl. | I, Obs | None | Treatment with fluvoxamine (75 mg- 100 mg daily) was associated with decreased nervousness, as well as other behavioral domains |
| Lehmkuhl et al. (2008) | 1 | AD. 12-yr-old boy. | I, S | None | After CBT (exposure and response prevention), OCD symptoms decreased to functioning within normal range |
| Namerow et al. (2003) | 15 | AS(6), AD(2), PDD-NOS(7). Ages: 6-16 (M: 11) | C | None | 10 of 15 patients treated with citalopram (5 mg to 10 mg daily) showed significant improvement in symptoms of anxiety |
| Ozbayrak (1997) | 2 | AS. Ages: 6, 13 | C | None | Treatment with sertraline (dosages of 25 to 50 mg per day) resulted in decreased symptoms of anxiety. |
| Reaven & Hepburn (2003) | 1 | AS. Age: 7 | I | None | CBT of OCD in girl with AS was effective in reducing severity of symptoms (CY-BOCS score of 23 to 8 at end of treatment). |
| Silveira et al. (2004) | 1 | ASD (unspecified). 6-yr-old girl | C | None | Fluoxetine treatment (up to 20mg daily) associated with reductions in symptoms of selective mutism |
| Sofronoff et al. (2005) | 71 | AS. Age range: 10-12 (M: 10) | P, S | Wait-list ASD | CBT resulted in reduction in parent-reported symptoms of anxiety; effect was stronger in parent + child intervention. |
| Woodard et al. (2005) | 1 | AD. Age: 10 | Obs, I | None | Treatment with dextromethorphan was associated with decreases in target behaviors of leaving classroom and aggressive tantrums. |
TD=typically developing
Size of ASD sample
Diagnosis: Number of participants with specific diagnoses. AD=Autistic Disorder, AS=Asperger’s Syndrome, HFA=High-Functioning Autism, PDD-NOS=Pervasive-Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified, ASD=sample not categorized by specific diagnoses.
Anxiety measure (modality): D=Direct: direct testing or assessment of child’s skills or knowledge; P=Parent: parent-report measure; O=Other: other-report (e.g., teacher); S=Self: self-rating; Obs=Coded behavioral observations; I=Interview of parent and/or child; C=Clinical observations only.
Composition of control group/comparison scores (N = number of subjects), if applicable. Note that only control groups ascertained as part of the study are included.