Table 1.
Participant Demographics and Clinical Characteristics
| ASD + Anxiety (n = 34) | ASD (n = 18) | TD (n = 50) | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age, mean (SD) | 11.96 (1.73) | 12.40 (1.81) | 12.39 (1.97) | 0.55 |
| Sex, number (%) | 0.74 | |||
| Male | 25 (73.5) | 13 (72.2) | 33 (66.0) | |
| Female | 9 (26.5) | 5 (27.8) | 27 (34.0) | |
| Race, number (%) | 0.20 | |||
| Asian | 1 (2.9) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (2.0) | |
| Black or African-American | 0 (0.0) | 1 (5.6) | 8 (16.0) | |
| White | 28 (82.4) | 16 (88.9) | 34 (68.0) | |
| More than one race | 5 (14.7) | 1 (5.6) | 7 (14.0) | |
| Ethnicity, number (%) | <0.03a | |||
| Hispanic or Latino | 8 (23.5) | 0 (0.0) | 5 (10.0) | |
| Not Hispanic or Latino | 26 (76.5) | 18 (100.0) | 45 (90.0) | |
| Full-scale IQ, mean (SD) | 102.32 (20.55) | 107.22 (17.98) | 113.40 (12.83) | 0.01a,b |
| ADOS-2, mean (SD) | ||||
| SA | 10.94 (3.86) | 9.11 (3.56) | 0.10 | |
| RRB | 1.94 (1.56) | 2.28 (1.74) | 0.48 | |
| Total | 12.88 (4.13) | 11.39 (3.87) | 0.21 | |
| ADI-R, mean (SD) | ||||
| A | 20.41 (5.87) | 17.94 (3.72) | 0.07 | |
| B | 15.65 (4.23) | 13.94 (3.96) | 0.16 | |
| C | 6.82 (2.78) | 4.44 (2.71) | <0.01a,c | |
| DSM-5 diagnoses, number (%) | ||||
| Anxiety disorder | 34 (100) | 0 (0) | <0.001a,c | |
| Generalized anxiety disorder | 19 (55.9) | |||
| Social anxiety disorder | 21 (61.8) | |||
| Specific phobia | 12 (35.3) | |||
| Separation anxiety | 5 (14.7) | |||
| Obsessive compulsive disorder | 4 (11.8) | 1 (5.6) | 0.47 | |
| Oppositional defiant disorder | 6 (17.6) | 1 (5.6) | 0.22 | |
| Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder | 19 (55.9) | 5 (27.8) | 0.05 | |
| Depressive disorder | 2 (5.9) | 0 (0) | 0.19 | |
| Trichotillomania | 1 (2.9) | 0 (0) | 0.49 | |
| Taking psychiatric medication, number (%) | 16 (47.1) | 2 (11.1) | 0.01a,c | |
| Stimulants | 8 (23.5) | 0 (0) | 0.03a,c | |
| Alpha agonists | 5 (14.7) | 1 (5.6) | 0.33 | |
| Antidepressants | 5 (14.7) | 2 (11.1) | 0.72 | |
| Neuroleptics | 1 (2.9) | 0 (0) | 0.46 |
Note. ASD + Anxiety, ASD and comorbid anxiety; ASD, ASD without comorbid anxiety; TD, typically developing healthy controls. ADOS-2, Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2nd edition. ADOS-2: SA—Social affect; RRB—Restricted and repetitive behavior. ADI-R = Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised. ADI-R: A—Qualitative abnormalities in reciprocal social interaction; B—Qualitative abnormalities in communication; C—Restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior. Full-scale IQ measured by the Differential Ability Scales-II or the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence. In the ASD + Anxiety group, 16 participants met criteria for one anxiety disorder (nine for Social Anxiety Disorder, six for Generalized Anxiety Disorder, one for Specific Phobia), 13 met criteria for two anxiety disorders, and five met criteria for three anxiety disorders.
Significant group differences at P < 0.05.
ASD + Anxiety < TD.
ASD + Anxiety > ASD.