Is it all just “behavioural” : Screening for

anxiety disorders in
children and
adolescents
with Autism
Spectrum Disorder

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 Learning Objectives
Understanding Challenging
Behaviour

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 PART 1- A primer on ASD and
Anxiety
Understanding Challenging
Behaviour

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 Traditional vs. Atypical
Presentations
Understanding Challenging
Behaviour

Kerns and others (2014)

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 Intolerance of Uncertainty
Understanding Challenging
Behaviour

Boulter, Freeston, South and Rodgers (2014)

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 Take home messages
Understanding Challenging
Behaviour
 There is no prima facie ruling that the diagnosis of ASD
itself excludes a person from receiving an anxiety
disorder diagnosis.

 Although the experience of ASD may contribute to

increased anxiety it needs to be considered whether
their experience of anxiety creates deficits over and
above what can be attributed to someone’s experience
of ASD.

 A useful thing to consider when assessing anxiety in

ASD may be to separate what is shared (i.e. a feature of
anxiety in both people with ASD and NT people) and
what is unique (i.e. what is a feature of anxiety
particular to ASD (Ollendick & White, 2013).

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 PART 2- Screening for Anxiety
Disorders
Understanding Challenging
Behaviour

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 An approach to screening for
anxiety in ASD
Understanding Challenging
Behaviour
1.) Initial Indication

2.) Psychometric follow up

3.) Assessment follow up (CAT)

- Functional Assessment of the Anxiety
- Disorder-specific screening questions
- Quality of Life

4.) Consider appropriateness of referral to Mental Health

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 Psychometric follow up
Understanding Challenging
Behaviour

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 b.) Assessment Follow Up
Understanding Challenging
Behaviour

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 c.) Quality of Life
Understanding Challenging
Behaviour

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 d.) When to consider a mental
health referral
Understanding Challenging
1.) Initial Assessment indicates the potentially presence of
Behaviour
significant anxiety.

2.) Follow up Psychometric Screening indicates that one or more

anxiety disorder may be present

3.) Further Core Assessment (including functional assessment and

screening questions) provide evidence that either a “traditional”
or “mixed” presentation of anxiety is present.

4.) Discussion with the client/their supports indicates that this

presentation of anxiety is causing clinically significant distress or
impairment.
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 The Explore Mind-Map
Understanding Challenging
Behaviour

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Questions?

Saul Gibney

Saul.gibney@explore.org.nz

© HHL Group October 2014 22