Intolerance of Uncertainty Predicts Anxiety Outcomes Following CBT in Youth with ASD

Amy Keefer; Nicole L Kreiser; Vini Singh; Audrey Blakeley-Smith; Amie Duncan; Catherine Johnson; Laura Klinger; Allison Meyer; Judy Reaven; Roma A Vasa

doi:10.1007/s10803-016-2852-z

Intolerance of Uncertainty Predicts Anxiety Outcomes Following CBT in Youth with ASD

J Autism Dev Disord. 2017 Dec;47(12):3949-3958. doi: 10.1007/s10803-016-2852-z.

Authors

Amy Keefer^{1

2}, Nicole L Kreiser^{3

4}, Vini Singh³, Audrey Blakeley-Smith⁵, Amie Duncan⁶, Catherine Johnson³, Laura Klinger⁷, Allison Meyer⁸, Judy Reaven⁵, Roma A Vasa^{3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Center for Autism and Related Disorder, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, 21286, USA. keefer@kennedykrieger.org.
² Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. keefer@kennedykrieger.org.
³ Center for Autism and Related Disorder, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, 21286, USA.
⁴ Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
⁵ University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
⁶ Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
⁷ TEACCH Autism Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
⁸ TEACCH Autism Program, Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.

PMID: 27405445
DOI: 10.1007/s10803-016-2852-z

Abstract

Modified cognitive-behavioral therapy (MCBT) has been demonstrated to reduce anxiety in youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, non-response rates are fairly high. Few studies have investigated factors associated with response. Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is a treatment target for anxiety and worry in neurotypical populations and has been linked to anxiety and ASD. We sought to examine whether IU affects outcomes following MCBT in 43 children, ages 8-14 years, with ASD without intellectual disability. Consistent with prior data, there was a significant reduction in parent reported anxiety following MCBT. Higher levels of pre-intervention IU predicted higher anxiety and worry pre- and post-intervention. These findings suggest that targeting IU may improve outcomes following MCBT in youth with ASD and anxiety.

Keywords: Anxiety; Autism spectrum disorders; Cognitive–behavioral therapy; Intolerance of uncertainty.

Publication types

Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Anxiety / psychology
Anxiety / therapy*
Autism Spectrum Disorder / psychology
Autism Spectrum Disorder / therapy*
Child
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / methods*
Female
Humans
Male
Treatment Outcome
Uncertainty*