Autistic Traits in Couple Dyads as a Predictor of Anxiety Spectrum Symptoms

The link between parental autistic tendency and anxiety symptoms was studied in 491 Taiwanese couples raising biological children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Parental autistic tendency as measured by Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) was associated with anxiety symptoms across all domains. Large effect sizes were found in social phobia and post traumatic stress disorders for both parents, and in general anxiety disorder and agoraphobia for mothers. These associations were irrespective of child’s autistic tendency, spouse’s AQ scores and the couples’ compatibility in their autistic tendency. Perceived family support and parental education moderated the link but not child’s autistic severity. Research and clinical implications regarding psychiatric vulnerability of parents of children with ASD were drawn and discussed.     

Psychiatric Symptoms and Psychosocial Difficulties in Young Adults with Autistic Traits

A screening version of the social responsiveness scale (SRS) was administered to 1,847 university students to identify a subgroup reporting significantly greater autism traits relative to their peers (High SRS group). A group reporting minimal autism traits was also identified (Low SRS group) matched for age, gender, and attentional difficulties. We administered the Behavioral Assessment System for Children—2nd edition (BASC-2), a comprehensive questionnaire designed to assess psychiatric symptoms and personality characteristics, to both groups. The high SRS group reported significantly more difficulties across the majority of areas, including depression/anxiety, interpersonal relationships, and personal adjustment. Thus, young adults reporting a greater degree of autistic traits also reported greater psychiatric difficulties across a wide psychosocial range.     

The Association Between Autistic Traits and Disordered Eating is Moderated by Sex/Gender and Independent of Anxiety and Depression

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - Previous studies have reported positive correlations between autistic traits and disordered eating, though it is unclear whether the association is...     

Anxiety Sensitivity Domains are Differently Affected by Social and Non-social Autistic Traits

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - Anxiety sensitivity (AS) is implicated in the development and maintenance of several psychopathological conditions. Non-clinical individuals with...     

Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety in Pediatric Epilepsy Patients

Summary: Purpose: We assessed rates of symptoms of anxiety and depression among pediatric patients with epilepsy.
Methods: We administered the Revised Child Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS), and Child Depression Inventory (CDI) to 44 epilepsy patients aged 7–18 years (mean age 12.4 years). Demographic, socioeconomic, and epilepsy-related information was examined in relation to depression and anxiety scores.
Results: No patients had been previously identified to have depression or anxiety. However, 26% had significantly increased depression scores and 16% met critieria for significant anxiety symptomatology.
Conclusions: Symptoms of depression and anxiety are common among pediatric patients with epilepsy and appear to be overlooked by care providers.     

血管源性帕金森综合征抑郁、焦虑与其他症状的关系研究

目的 研究血管源性帕金森综合征（vascular parkinsonism,VP）患者焦虑、抑郁的发病率以及焦虑、抑郁与运动症状、非运动症状的关系。      

Mood and Anxiety Symptoms in Psychiatric Inpatients with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Depression

Recent reports suggest that individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) may experience depression at a high frequency, yet few published studies address this issue, especially among adults. In the current investigation, we reviewed features of depression and comorbid traits among depressed inpatients with intellectual disabilities (ID) as a function of ASD. A retrospective chart review was performed for 53 inpatients meeting criteria for depression (13 individuals with ASD and ID and 40 matched individuals with ID but without ASD), all of whom had received a diagnosis of depression at the time of discharge from a specialty psychiatric unit for adults with ID. The depression diagnoses were based on a comprehensive clinical assessment; specific mood and anxiety symptoms were reported by informants at the time of intake using the Mood and Anxiety Semi-Structured (MASS) Interview for Patients with Intellectual Disabilities (Charlot, Deutsch, Hunt, Fletcher, & McIlvane, 2007 Charlot, L., Deutsch, C., Hunt, A., Fletcher, K. and McIlvane, W. 2007. Validation of the Mood and Anxiety Semi-Structured (MASS) Interview for Patients with Intellectual Disabilities. Journal of Intellectual Disabilities Research, 51: 821–834. [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). Overall, few qualitative differences were detected between the 2 groups. Both depressed inpatient groups had high rates of comorbid anxiety disorders as well as externalizing behaviors. Inpatients with ASD had a total of 2 more symptoms (out of 29 possible symptom items) than their depressed peers without an ASD diagnosis (mean scores of 12.23 and 9.85, respectively). Anxiety disorders were reported in 62% of individuals with ASD and 38% of those without ASD. Antipsychotic medication was prevalent among the patients with ASD and depression. Over 80% of the inpatients with ASD and depression, compared with 49% of the non-ASD group, were treated with these medications.     

Factor Structure of Measures of Anxiety and Depression Symptoms in African American Youth

Previous research has suggested that the factor structure of anxiety measures is different in African American samples compared to majority population samples. However, these findings may be due to misuse of analytic methods rather than meaningful differences in the underlying presentation of anxiety. To address this, we examined the factor structure of two measures of child anxiety: the Revised Children’s Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children in a sample of 229 African American youth. Contrary to previous research, confirmatory factor analyses yielded good fit for the original factor structures of both measures. These results suggest that the underlying factor structure of these measures may not be significantly different for African American and majority population youth as previously thought. The effect of data analytic procedures on subsequent conclusions and theory is discussed and recommendations are made.     

Depression and Anxiety Symptoms in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders without Intellectual Disability

Recent studies have shown that rates of depression and anxiety symptoms are elevated among individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) of various ages and IQs and that depression/anxiety symptoms are associated with higher IQ and fewer ASD symptoms. In this study which examined correlates of depression and anxiety symptoms in the full school-age range of children and adolescents (age 6-18) with ASDs and IQs ≥ 70 (n = 95), we also observed elevated rates of depression/anxiety symptoms, but we did not find higher IQ or fewer ASD symptoms among individuals with ASDs and depression or anxiety symptoms. These findings indicate an increased risk for depression/anxiety symptoms in children and adolescents with ASDs without intellectual disability, regardless of age, IQ, or ASD symptoms.     

Screening for Anxiety and Depression in Community Mental Health: The Beck Anxiety and Depression Inventories

Accurate diagnosis is key to providing quality services in community mental health. This research examined the ability of the Beck Anxiety and Depression Inventories to identify anxiety and depression in community settings. The diagnostic accuracy of these instruments was compared with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV in a sample of 288 distressed women seeking treatment for their children. Operating characteristic curves indicated the Beck Anxiety and Depression Inventories hold utility as screens for panic and major depressive disorder, respectively. Deploying these instruments as initial screens in a tiered diagnostic system may improve diagnostic accuracy in community settings.     

Depression,Anxiety, Anger,and Somatic Symptoms in Patients with Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a relatively common and impairing disorder. However, little is known about non-BDD symptoms and well-being in patients with this disorder. Seventy-five outpatients with DSM-IV BDD completed the Symptom Questionnaire, a validated self-report measure with four scales: depression, anxiety, somatic/somatization, and anger-hostility. Scores were compared to published norms for normal subjects and psychiatric outpatients. Participants in an open-label fluvoxamine trial completed the Symptom Questionnaire at baseline and endpoint. Compared to normal controls, BDD subjects had markedly elevated scores on all four scales, indicating severe distress and psychopathology. Compared to psychiatric patients, BDD subjects had higher scores on the depression, anxiety, and anger/hostility scales but not on the somatic/somatization scale. Scores on all scales significantly decreased with fluvoxamine. In conclusion, patients with BDD have markedly high levels of distress, are highly symptomatic, and have poor well-being in the domains of depression, anxiety, somatic symptoms, and anger-hostility. All of these symptoms significantly improved with fluvoxamine.     

Mixed Symptoms and Syndromes of Anxiety and Depression: Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Etiologic Issues

Patients with comorbid symptoms of anxiety and depression are common in clinical practice, and yet they continue to pose a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge to clinicians and researchers alike. This article is intended as a comprehensive review of current knowledge derived from a vast body of clinical research regarding the diagnostic interrelationships of anxiety and depressive disorders at both syndromal and subsyndromal levels. The prognostic implications of comorbidity are also reviewed. Biological linkages between the two disorders are explored, and recent biological theories attempting to explain and integrate the two disorders are presented as well. The article concludes with suggestions for further research.     

Early Symptoms of Autistic Children and Its Diagnostic Significance

Abstract. In order to make a checklist for the early diagnosis of autism, the abnormalities of mental development before the age of two were examined retrospectively in autistic children. Additionally, the correlation between these early symptoms and the prognosis of autistic children were investigated. The subjects were 85 autistic children, 64 mentally retarded children and 150 normal children. The parents of these children were interviewed by child psychiatrists based on original questionnaires. The 27 early symptoms indicating disorders in personal relations, perception and sleeping as well as the setback course were found in autistic children. The onset ages of imitating others, pointing at objects and saying Yes were retarded in the poorly developed group as compared with the highly developed group.