Anxiety in autism spectrum disorder

Abstract

Anxiety appears to be more common in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) than in both the general population and various clinical groups, with possibly up to 40 % of individuals in the autism spectrum presenting elevated levels of at least on anxiety subtype. In this chapter we will critically evaluate the current state of knowledge on the nature of anxiety issues in individuals with ASD, provide an overview of clinical management issues and best practices, and discuss current and future research directions.