![]() ![]() ![]() Those with low neurological thresholds respond to sensory input more readily than those with a higher threshold. Sensory hyporesponsiveness involves underreactions to the usual sensory environment and may underlie sensory seeking behavior such as peering at objects from different angles for long periods of time ( Dunn, 1997 Green et al., 2015).ĭunn’s (2007) model of sensory processing proposes that an interaction of a neurological threshold and self-regulation determine how one responds to a stimulus. Atypical sensory processing in autism may include sensory hyperreponsiveness compared to non-autistic peers, in which sensory stimuli (such as a noise) are experienced more intensely, and may contribute to sensory defensive behavior (such as covering one’s ears Green et al., 2015 Bitsika et al., 2020 Bizzell et al., 2020). Thus, it is vital to better understand the mechanisms that underlie anxiety symptoms in autism.Ītypical sensory processing is common in autism and in those who are high in autistic traits, with estimates ranging from 69 to 93% prevalence within autistic individuals ( Baranek et al., 2007 Robertson and Simmons, 2013 Horder et al., 2014 Green et al., 2015). Autistic individuals who have elevated anxiety symptoms often experience more cognitive, social, and emotional difficulties than autistic individuals who are not also anxious ( Keefer et al., 2018 McVey et al., 2018). 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.Īnxiety is the most frequently co-occurring mental health concern in autism, with prevalence rates at least five times higher than in the general population ( Kerns et al., 2014 South and Rodgers, 2017 Nimmo-Smith et al., 2020). 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. 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. We conducted two path analyses to examine the role of intolerance of uncertainty in anxiety in autistic adults. 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. 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. 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. 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. 5Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, United States.4Population Health Sciences Institute, Sir James Spence Institute, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.3School of Psychology, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.2Student Health Services, Utah Valley University, Orem, UT, United States.1Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, United States.Nicholas Top 2 Nicholas Russell 1 Mark Freeston 3 Jacqui Rodgers 4 Mikle South 1,5 * ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |