Selective mutism in children with and without an autism spectrum disorder: The role of sensory avoidance in mediating symptoms of social anxiety

Amanda Ludlow; Clarissa Osborne; Saskia Keville

doi:10.1007/s10803-022-05674-0

Selective mutism in children with and without an autism spectrum disorder: The role of sensory avoidance in mediating symptoms of social anxiety

Amanda Ludlow, Clarissa Osborne, Saskia Keville

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

188 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

The present study addressed the different contributors to social anxiety in children with Selective Mutism (SM), with and without co-occurring Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (SM + ASD). Seventy-five parents completed an online composite questionnaire consisting of the symptoms of SM and ASD, anxiety and sensory measures. The results found the SM + ASD group showed significantly higher levels of social anxiety and sensory avoidance compared to the SM only group. However, a simple mediation model revealed sensory avoidance to be a mediator of this relationship between the diagnosis and social anxiety. Therefore, higher levels of sensory avoidance may help to differentiate social anxiety between the groups and may also be a sign of ASD in children with SM who have and/or are yet to receive an ASD diagnosis.

Original language	English
Journal	Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-022-05674-0
Publication status	Published - 29 Jul 2022

Keywords

Anxiety
Autism spectrum disorder
Selective mutism
Sensory avoidance

Access to Document

10.1007/s10803-022-05674-0

Accepted_Version
© 2022 Springer Nature Switzerland AG. This is the accepted manuscript version of an article which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-022-05674-0
Accepted author manuscript, 316 KBLicence: Unspecified

Cite this

@article{eccaf0add5954ee0baf2deb8363e6a93,

title = "Selective mutism in children with and without an autism spectrum disorder: The role of sensory avoidance in mediating symptoms of social anxiety",

abstract = "The present study addressed the different contributors to social anxiety in children with Selective Mutism (SM), with and without co-occurring Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (SM + ASD). Seventy-five parents completed an online composite questionnaire consisting of the symptoms of SM and ASD, anxiety and sensory measures. The results found the SM + ASD group showed significantly higher levels of social anxiety and sensory avoidance compared to the SM only group. However, a simple mediation model revealed sensory avoidance to be a mediator of this relationship between the diagnosis and social anxiety. Therefore, higher levels of sensory avoidance may help to differentiate social anxiety between the groups and may also be a sign of ASD in children with SM who have and/or are yet to receive an ASD diagnosis.",

keywords = "Anxiety, Autism spectrum disorder, Selective mutism, Sensory avoidance",

author = "Amanda Ludlow and Clarissa Osborne and Saskia Keville",

note = "{\textcopyright} 2022 Springer Nature Switzerland AG. This is the accepted manuscript version of an article which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-022-05674-0",

year = "2022",

month = jul,

day = "29",

doi = "10.1007/s10803-022-05674-0",

language = "English",

journal = "Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders",

issn = "0162-3257",

publisher = "Springer Nature ",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Selective mutism in children with and without an autism spectrum disorder: The role of sensory avoidance in mediating symptoms of social anxiety

AU - Ludlow, Amanda

AU - Osborne, Clarissa

AU - Keville, Saskia

PY - 2022/7/29

Y1 - 2022/7/29

N2 - The present study addressed the different contributors to social anxiety in children with Selective Mutism (SM), with and without co-occurring Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (SM + ASD). Seventy-five parents completed an online composite questionnaire consisting of the symptoms of SM and ASD, anxiety and sensory measures. The results found the SM + ASD group showed significantly higher levels of social anxiety and sensory avoidance compared to the SM only group. However, a simple mediation model revealed sensory avoidance to be a mediator of this relationship between the diagnosis and social anxiety. Therefore, higher levels of sensory avoidance may help to differentiate social anxiety between the groups and may also be a sign of ASD in children with SM who have and/or are yet to receive an ASD diagnosis.

AB - The present study addressed the different contributors to social anxiety in children with Selective Mutism (SM), with and without co-occurring Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (SM + ASD). Seventy-five parents completed an online composite questionnaire consisting of the symptoms of SM and ASD, anxiety and sensory measures. The results found the SM + ASD group showed significantly higher levels of social anxiety and sensory avoidance compared to the SM only group. However, a simple mediation model revealed sensory avoidance to be a mediator of this relationship between the diagnosis and social anxiety. Therefore, higher levels of sensory avoidance may help to differentiate social anxiety between the groups and may also be a sign of ASD in children with SM who have and/or are yet to receive an ASD diagnosis.

KW - Anxiety

KW - Autism spectrum disorder

KW - Selective mutism

KW - Sensory avoidance

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85135266004&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s10803-022-05674-0

DO - 10.1007/s10803-022-05674-0

M3 - Article

SN - 0162-3257

JO - Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders

JF - Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders

ER -

Selective mutism in children with and without an autism spectrum disorder: The role of sensory avoidance in mediating symptoms of social anxiety

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this