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Biobehavioral composite of social aspects of anxiety in young adults with fragile X syndrome contrasted to autism spectrum disorder
Author(s) -
Roberts Jane E.,
Ezell Jordan E.,
Fairchild Amanda J.,
Klusek Jessica,
Thurman Angela J.,
McDuffie Andrea,
Abbeduto Leonard
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
american journal of medical genetics part b: neuropsychiatric genetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.393
H-Index - 126
eISSN - 1552-485X
pISSN - 1552-4841
DOI - 10.1002/ajmg.b.32674
Subject(s) - autism spectrum disorder , fragile x syndrome , anxiety , autism , psychology , social anxiety , clinical psychology , spectrum disorder , anxiety disorder , psychiatry , developmental psychology
Social anxiety is a common disorder that has negative impacts across multiple domains of function. Several clinical groups are at elevated risk for social anxiety, including those with fragile X syndrome and those with autism spectrum disorder. Measuring social anxiety in these clinical subgroups is fraught with challenge, however, given the complexity of social anxiety and measurement limitations that are particularly acute in persons with neurodevelopmental disorders. The over‐arching aim of this study was to contribute to our understanding of the nature of social anxiety in fragile X syndrome and its association with autism spectrum disorder. To address this aim, we created a multi‐faceted composite representing behavioral and biological aspects of social anxiety and examined differences in two adolescent and young adult‐aged groups: 59 males with fragile X syndrome and 18 males with autism spectrum disorder. Results indicated a lower score on the multivariate composite for the males with fragile X syndrome relative to autism spectrum disorder but with evidence that traits of autism and social anxiety overlap. We conclude that measuring anxiety and autism traits in fragile X syndrome and autism spectrum disorder is complex with features that overlap and interact in a dynamic manner.