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Anxiety, Intolerance of Uncertainty and Restricted and Repetitive Behaviour: Insights Directly from Young People with ASD

  • S.I. : Anxiety in Autism Spectrum Disorders
  • Published:
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Abstract

In order to investigate the experience of anxiety and restricted and repetitive behaviours (RRB) in young people with ASD, 19 families with young people with ASD aged between 13 and 20 years completed questionnaire measures of RRB, anxiety, and intolerance of uncertainty. Ten young people also completed a novel semi-structured interview exploring an individualised example of an RRB. Findings demonstrated that young people with ASD can self-report and show insight in to their RRB, and replicated previous findings based on parent report showing a significant positive relationship between RRB and anxiety. This is the first evidence of young person self-report using both quantitative and qualitative data and indicates a range of reasons why young people may engage in RRB.

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Acknowledgments

This study was carried out in partial fulfilment of a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Newcastle University. We would like to acknowledge Daslne and the schools involved with recruitment for their support and all the families who kindly gave up their time to take part in the study.

Author Contributions

CJ contributed to study design, study coordination, data collection, data analysis, interpreting the data and drafted the manuscript. EH contributed to conceiving the study, study design, data interpretation and provided comments on the manuscript. SL contributed to data analysis, data interpretation and provided comments on the manuscript. SB contributed to the design of the study, allowing use of her previous work on self-report measurement of RRB and provided comments on the manuscript. JR contributed to conceiving the study, study design, coordination, data analysis, interpretation of the data and provided comments on the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Psychology, Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Ridley Building 1, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK

    Caroline Joyce

  2. School of Psychology, Newcastle University, Ridley Building 1, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK

    Emma Honey

  3. School of Psychology, Wales Autism Research Centre, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK

    Susan R. Leekam

  4. School of Psychology, Wales Autism Research Centre, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK

    Sarah L. Barrett

  5. Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Ridley Building 1, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK

    Jacqui Rodgers

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  1. Caroline Joyce
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Correspondence to Caroline Joyce.

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Joyce, C., Honey, E., Leekam, S.R. et al. Anxiety, Intolerance of Uncertainty and Restricted and Repetitive Behaviour: Insights Directly from Young People with ASD. J Autism Dev Disord 47, 3789–3802 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-017-3027-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-017-3027-2

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