Identifying and Treating Anxiety in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder/Intellectual Developmental Disorder: A Review

Abstract

ABSTRACT Recent research has suggested that anxiety is among the most common co-occurring mental health difficulties for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). For youth with co-occurring intellectual disability disorder (IDD), these rates are estimated to be even higher. Despite the estimated high prevalence of anxiety for youth with comorbid ASD and IDD, there is still great uncertainty in the field regarding the best practices for identifying, diagnosing and treating anxiety within this unique population. Thus, the primary goal of the current paper is to review the existing literature regarding best practices and modifications for the assessment and treatment of anxiety in children and adolescents with comorbid ASD and IDD to assist clinicians working with this substantially underserved population.