scholarly journals Sensory Sensitivity and Intolerance of Uncertainty Influence Anxiety in Autistic Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karys M. Normansell-Mossa ◽  
D. Nicholas Top ◽  
Nicholas Russell ◽  
Mark Freeston ◽  
Jacqui Rodgers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intolerance Of Uncertainty ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Model Fit ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Sensory Sensitivity ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Model ◽  
Path Analyses ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Autistic Adults

Several models of anxiety in autistic adults have focused on the role of intolerance of uncertainty which has biological and evolutionary bases, as a cognitive explanation for the high prevalence of anxiety in autism. This framework suggests that all people are born with a healthy level of intolerance of uncertainty, and as we develop, this intolerance is lessened as we learn when situations are safe and begin to understand and manage the uncertainty. This process of learning about managing uncertainty does not happen in the same way in those who are high in autistic traits, which could be the reason for the high levels of anxiety symptoms commonly seen in this population. We examined archival data of 199 non-autistic and 55 autistic adults from prior studies in which we collected self-report measures of autistic traits, intolerance of uncertainty, sensory processing, and anxiety. We conducted two path analyses to examine the role of intolerance of uncertainty in anxiety in autistic adults. The first model tested the idea that intolerance of uncertainty, an evolutionary phenomenon common for all people, could explain some of the cognitive aspects of anxiety in autism. The second model suggests that primary neurodevelopmental differences associated with autistic traits underlie the sensory sensitivity and sensory seeking behaviors, which in turn increase intolerance of uncertainty and subsequent anxiety. We found that the “neurodevelopmental” model had better model fit than the “evolutionary stress” model, suggesting that the neurodevelopmental impact of higher levels of autistic traits could moderate a non-autistic trajectory of learning to manage uncertainty as children develop and understand that uncertainty is common and acceptable.

Camouflaging in non-autistic adults is associated with poorer mental health

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Somerville ◽  
Sarah E. MacPherson ◽  
Sue Fletcher-Watson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Mental Health Symptoms ◽  
Health Symptoms ◽  
Autistic People ◽  
Autistic Adults ◽  
The Relationship

Camouflaging is a frequently reported behaviour in autistic people, which entails the use of strategies to compensate for and mask autistic traits in social situations. Camouflaging is associated with poor mental health in autistic people. This study examined the manifestation of camouflaging in a non-autistic sample, examining the relationship between autistic traits, camouflaging, and mental health. In addition, the role of executive functions as a mechanism underpinning camouflaging was explored. Sixty-three non-autistic adults completed standardised self-report questionnaires which measured: autistic traits, mental health symptoms, and camouflaging behaviours. In addition, a subset (n=51) completed three tests of executive function measuring inhibition, working memory, and set-shifting. Multiple linear regression models were used to analyse data. Results indicated that autistic traits are not associated with mental health symptoms when controlling for camouflaging, and camouflaging predicted increased mental health symptoms. Camouflaging did not correlate with any measure of executive function. These findings have implications for understanding the relationship between autistic traits and mental health in non-autistic people and add to the growing development of theory and knowledge about the mechanism and effects of camouflaging.

scholarly journals COVID-19 uncertainty and sleep: the roles of perceived stress and intolerance of uncertainty during the early stage of the COVID-19 outbreak

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dan Wu ◽  
Tingzhong Yang ◽  
Daniel L. Hall ◽  
Guihua Jiao ◽  
Lixin Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Path Analysis ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Mediation Analysis ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Intolerance Of Uncertainty ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic brings unprecedented uncertainty and stress. This study aimed to characterize general sleep status among Chinese residents during the early stage of the outbreak and to explore the network relationship among COVID-19 uncertainty, intolerance of uncertainty, perceived stress, and sleep status. Methods A cross-sectional correlational survey was conducted online. A total of 2534 Chinese residents were surveyed from 30 provinces, municipalities, autonomous regions of China and regions abroad during the period from February 7 to 14, 2020, the third week of lockdown. Final valid data from 2215 participants were analyzed. Self-report measures assessed uncertainty about COVID-19, intolerance of uncertainty, perceived stress, and general sleep status. Serial mediation analysis using the bootstrapping method and path analysis were applied to test the mediation role of intolerance of uncertainty and perceived stress in the relationship between uncertainty about COVID-19 and sleep status. Results The total score of sleep status was 4.82 (SD = 2.72). Age, place of residence, ethnicity, marital status, infection, and quarantine status were all significantly associated with general sleep status. Approximately half of participants (47.1%) reported going to bed after 12:00 am, 23.0% took 30 min or longer to fall asleep, and 30.3% slept a total of 7 h or less. Higher uncertainty about COVID-19 was significantly positively correlated with higher intolerance of uncertainty (r = 0.506, p < 0.001). The mediation analysis found a mediating role of perceived stress in the relationship between COVID-19 uncertainty and general sleep status (β = 0.015, 95%C.I. = 0.009–0.021). However, IU was not a significant mediator of the relationship between COVID-19 uncertainty and sleep (β = 0.009, 95%C.I. = − 0.002–0.020). Moreover, results from the path analysis further showed uncertainty about COVID-19 had a weak direct effect on poor sleep (β = 0.043, p < 0.05); however, there was a robust indirect effect on poor sleep through intolerance of uncertainty and perceived stress. Conclusions These findings suggest that intolerance of uncertainty and perceived stress are critical factors in the relationship between COVID-19 uncertainty and sleep outcomes. Results are discussed in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, and practical policy implications are also provided.

Intolerance of Uncertainty, Anxiety, and Career Indecision: A Mediation Model

2021 ◽  
pp. 106907272110025
Author(s):  
Consuelo Arbona ◽  
Weihua Fan ◽  
Ayoung Phang ◽  
Norma Olvera ◽  
Marcel Dios
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Intolerance Of Uncertainty ◽  
Career Decision ◽  
Career Indecision ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Career Decision Making ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
Path Analyses

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) refers to the tendency to fear the unknown and to worry excessively about potential future negative outcomes. In the career decision-making process, college students experience uncertainty regarding the future of occupational opportunities and the evolution of their interests and capabilities. Anxiety is a well-established predictor of career indecision. Therefore, this study examined the role of anxiety as a mediator in the relation of IU and rumination to three dimensions of career decision making difficulties among college students ( N = 678). Results of path analyses indicated that as hypothesized, after controlling for age, intolerance of uncertainty was directly and indirectly (though anxiety) related to the three dimensions of career decision making difficulties: lack of readiness, lack of information, and inconsistent information. Results suggested that career choice interventions may be enhanced with a targeted emphasis on coping with the uncertainty involved in career decision making among college students.

Temperament and Coping Activity Under Stress of Changing Intensity Over Time

2012 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 326-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irena Heszen
Keyword(s):  
Stress Intensity ◽  
Emotional Reactivity ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Sensory Sensitivity ◽  
And Coping ◽  
First Myocardial Infarction ◽  
Different Levels ◽  
Over Time

Temperament is probably an important factor that influences coping activity. The framework of the study was the Regulative Theory of Temperament by Strelau, where six temperamental traits are distinguished: emotional reactivity, perseveration, activity, briskness, sensory sensitivity, and endurance. These traits were hypothesized to be connected to coping activity in accordance with their psychological characteristics. It was also expected that the associations between temperament and coping activity should depend on stress intensity. Participants were 278 diabetics and 232 patients after first myocardial infarction (MI). The study was longitudinal and two diseases had been purposely selected so as to represent stress intensity either increasing (in diabetes) or decreasing (after MI) over time. Temperamental traits as well as coping activity components: cognitive appraisal, affect, and coping strategies were measured using self-report questionnaires. As hypothesized, temperamental traits were connected to coping activity. Phase-related changes in coping activity confirmed an increase in stress levels in diabetics, while cardiac patients tended to experience the situation as more challenging. While the expectation referring to the differential role of temperament under different levels of stress intensity was not confirmed, the connections of temperament with coping activity were found to decrease under long-term stress.

The Role of Metacognition, Intolerance of Uncertainty, and Negative Problem Orientation in Children's Worry

2012 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 243-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Kertz ◽  
Janet Woodruff-Borden
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Model ◽  
Intolerance Of Uncertainty ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Cognitive Variables ◽  
Treatment Interventions ◽  
Problem Orientation ◽  
Negative Beliefs ◽  
Negative Problem Orientation ◽  
The Continuum

Background: Although worry is common in children, empirical models of worry remain largely untested in youth. A small number of studies have established preliminary links between cognitive variables and worry in children younger than 12 years old. These cognitive variables include positive and negative beliefs about worry, intolerance of uncertainty, and problem orientation. Aims: The current study examined these variables concurrently and their association with worry. We also examined the extent to which intolerance of uncertainty mediated the association between worry and beliefs about worry. Method: Eighty elementary school children aged 8 to 12 years completed a battery of self-report measures. Results: As a group, the cognitive variables significantly predicted worry scores; negative beliefs about worry was the only significant individual predictor. As a group, the four cognitive variables discriminated clinical from nonclinical levels of worry; positive beliefs about worry and intolerance of uncertainty were the only significant individual predictors. Finally, intolerance of uncertainty mediated the association between worry and both positive and negative beliefs about worry. Conclusions: Components of a cognitive model of worry are largely applicable to children. Negative beliefs about worry were associated with worry across the continuum, while intolerance of uncertainty and positive beliefs about worry were more strongly associated with clinical levels of worry. Intolerance of uncertainty accounted for a significant portion of the association between metacognition and worry and may be a particularly effective target for treatment. Further implications for conceptual models and treatment interventions are discussed.

scholarly journals Development and Validation of the Suicide Behaviours Questionnaire – Autism Spectrum Conditions in Autistic, Possibly Autistic and Non-Autistic Adults.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Cassidy ◽  
Louise Bradley ◽  
Heather Cogger-Ward ◽  
Jacqui Rodgers
Keyword(s):  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Measurement Properties ◽  
Autism Spectrum Conditions ◽  
Autistic People ◽  
Autistic Adults ◽  
Development And Validation

Abstract Background: Autistic people and those with high autistic traits are at high risk of experiencing suicidality. Yet, there are no suicidality assessment tools developed or validated for these groups.Methods: A widely used and validated suicidality assessment tool developed for the general population (SBQ-R), was adapted using feedback from autistic adults. The adapted tool was refined through 9 interviews, and an online survey with 251 autistic adults, to establish clarity and relevance of the items. Subsequently, 308 autistic, 113 possibly autistic, and 268 non-autistic adults completed the adapted tool online, alongside self-report measures of autistic traits (AQ), camouflaging autistic traits (CAT-Q), depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (ASA-A), thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness (INQ-15), lifetime non-suicidal self-injury, and the original version of the suicidality assessment tool (SBQ-R). Analyses explored the appropriateness and measurement properties of the adapted tool between the groups.Results: There was evidence in support of content validity, structural validity, internal consistency, convergent and divergent validity, test retest validity, sensitivity and specificity (for distinguishing those with or without lifetime experience of suicide attempt), and hypothesis testing of the adapted tool (SBQ-ASC) in each group. The structure of the SBQ-ASC was equivalent between autistic and possibly autistic adults, regardless of gender, or use of visual aids to help quantify abstract rating scales.Limitations: The samples involved in the development and validation of the adapted tool were largely female, and largely diagnosed as autistic in adulthood, which is not representative of the wider autistic population. The SBQ-ASC has been developed for use in research and is not recommended to assess risk of future suicide attempts and/or self-harm.Conclusions: The SBQ-ASC is a brief self-report suicidality assessment tool, developed and validated with and for autistic adults, without co-occurring intellectual disability. The SBQ-ASC is appropriate for use in research to identify suicidal thoughts and behaviours in autistic and possibly autistic people, and model associations with risk and protective factors.

Nurses Between the Hammer and the Anvil: Analyzing the Role of the Workplace Prevention Climate in Reducing Internal and External Violence

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 363-375
Author(s):  
Sara Viotti ◽  
Gloria Guidetti ◽  
Daniela Converso
Keyword(s):  
Workplace Violence ◽  
Intention To Leave ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Path Analyses ◽  
Violence Prevention Climate

The aim of this study was to test a model including relationships among internal and external violence, workplace violence-prevention climate, exhaustion, and intention to leave (ITL) in a sample of nurses. Data were collected by a self-report questionnaire involving nurses (n = 313) from two multispecialist hospitals in Italy. The survey was cross-sectional and nonrandomized. Path analyses showed the presence of the mediating role of internal violence between workplace prevention climate and exhaustion, as well as the mediating function of both types of violence between workplace prevention climate and ITL. Moreover, an indirect effect through exhaustion between internal violence and ITL was highlighted. These findings suggested that organizations that invest in preventive measures may reduce incidents of violence and, in turn, prevent negative consequences on worker well-being.

scholarly journals Autism and depression are connected: A report of two complimentary network studies

Autism ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 680-692 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara FC van Heijst ◽  
Marie K Deserno ◽  
Didi Rhebergen ◽  
Hilde M Geurts
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptomatology ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Questionnaire Data ◽  
Relevant Factor ◽  
Depression Subscale ◽  
Lack Of Control ◽  
Autistic Adults ◽  
Network Studies

Autism and depression often co-occur. Through network analysis, we seek to gain a better understanding of this co-occurrence by investigating whether (1) autism and depression share overlapping groups of symptoms and/or (2) are connected through a bridge of mastery or worry symptoms. This is addressed in two complimentary studies: (1) Study 1 focusing on depressed ( N = 258) and non-depressed adults ( N = 117), aged 60–90 years; (2) Study 2 focusing on autistic ( N = 173) and non-autistic adults ( N = 70), aged 31–89 years. Self-report questionnaire data were collected on autistic traits (AQ-28), depression symptoms (Study 1: Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self Report; Study 2: Symptom Checklist 90–Revised depression subscale), worry (Worry Scale-R) and mastery (the Pearlin Mastery Scale). For both studies, data were analysed by creating glasso networks and subsequent centrality analyses to identify the most influential variables in the respective networks. Both depressed and autistic adults are highly similar in the perceived amount of worries and lack of control. While caution is needed when interpreting the pattern of findings given the bootstrapping results, findings from both studies indicate that overlapping symptoms do not fully explain the co-occurrence of autism and depression and the perception of having control over your life, that is, mastery seems a relevant factor in connecting autism and depression.

scholarly journals CAT-Q MSCS BASC2 Pre-Print

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hilary Aime ◽  
Nichole Scheerer ◽  
Troy Boucher ◽  
Grace Iarocci
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Social Competence ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Autistic People ◽  
Competence Scale ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Relationship

Background: Camouflaging, defined as the use of strategies to compensate for or hide autistic traits, is associated with internalizing behaviour (i.e., anxiety and depression) in both autistic and non-autistic people. Non-autistic adults who have poorer social competence tend to engage in more camouflaging, thus it’s unclear whether the increase in internalizing behaviour associated with camouflaging may be explained by poor social competence, rather than camouflaging itself. The purpose of this study was to extend previous research on camouflaging and internalizing behaviour among non-autistic people through examination of the role of social competence. Methods: In this study, 315 non-autistic young adults completed the Multidimensional Social Competence Scale (MSCS) to assess their social competence, the Camouflaging of Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q) to assess their use of camouflaging strategies, and the Behaviour Assessment Scale for Children 2 – Self-Report of Personality, College Version (BASC-2 SRP-COL) to assess their internalizing behaviour. Results: We found that camouflaging predicted internalizing behaviour among non-autistic young adults after controlling for social competence, autistic traits, age, IQ, and gender. Camouflaging partially mediated the relationship between social competence and internalizing behaviours. Conclusions: These results suggest that the use of camouflaging strategies is uniquely associated with internalizing behaviour over and above social competence and may, in part, contribute to the increased internalizing behaviours observed in individuals with poorer social competence.

scholarly journals Perceptual processing links autism and synesthesia: a twin study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tessa M van Leeuwen ◽  
Lowe Wilsson ◽  
Hjalmar Nobel Norrman ◽  
Mark Dingemanse ◽  
Sven Bölte ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Twin Study ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Perceptual Processing ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Sensory Sensitivity ◽  
Twin Design ◽  
Linear Relationships ◽  
Spectrum Condition ◽  
Attentional Style

Background. Synesthesia occurs more commonly in individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) and is associated with autistic traits and autism-related perceptual processing characteristics, including a more detail-focused attentional style and altered sensory sensitivity. Furthermore, autistic traits and autism-like sensory sensitivity show a synesthesia-dosage effect, since they increase with the amount of synesthesia types in synesthetes and with the degree of synesthesia (how consistently colors are associated with graphemes) in non-synesthetes.Methods. Here we investigated a predominantly non-synesthetic twin sample, enriched for ASC and other neurodevelopmental disorders (n=65, 14-34 years, 60% female). We modelled the linear relationships between the degree of synesthesia and autistic traits, sensory sensitivity, and visual perception, both within-twin pairs (22 pairs) where all factors shared by twins are implicitly controlled (including 50-100% genetics), and across the entire cohort.Results. Our results indicate that the degree of synesthesia is associated with autistic traits only within the attention to details domain and with sensory hyper-, but not hypo-sensitivity. These associations were stronger within-twin pairs compared to across the sample. Further, twins with a higher degree of synesthesia were better than their co-twins in identifying fragmented images in the Fragmented Pictures Test (FPT).Conclusions. This study is the first twin study on the association between synesthesia and autism-related perceptual and clinical features, and the results suggest that a twin design can be more sensitive for detecting these associations. Consistent with previous findings, the results support an association between the degree of synesthesia and autism-related perceptual features, while utilizing a different self-report measure for sensory sensitivity. The novel finding of enhanced feature integration in the FPT in twins with a higher degree of synesthesia challenges the view of a generally more detail-focused attentional style in synesthesia and might be related to enhanced memory or mental imagery in more synesthetic individuals.

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