Assessing Anxiety in Autistic and Non-Autistic Youth: Validation of the German Parent Version of the Anxiety Scale for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Research output: Contribution to journal › Research article › Contributed › peer-review
Contributors
Abstract
Anxiety is a prevalent co-occurring disorder in autistic youth, yet its accurate assessment remains challenging due to symptom overlap with autism. The Anxiety Scale for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder—Parent Version (ASC-ASD-P) was designed to address this issue, but its utility in German clinical settings has not been established. This study validated the German translation of the ASC-ASD-P in a clinical sample of 317 participants presenting at a clinic for autism assessment, including 120 autistic youth. Internal consistency was excellent (Cronbach's α = 0.92), and convergent validity was demonstrated through significant correlations with established psychopathology measures such as the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Factor analyses preferred a 4-factor structure in the autism group, but indicated difficulties replicating the Separation Anxiety Subscale. Autistic youth showed higher total anxiety and uncertainty scores compared to non-autistic youth, underlining the scale's sensitivity to autism-specific anxiety patterns. By including youth with intellectual disabilities, often underrepresented in research, this study provides a more comprehensive evaluation of the ASC-ASD-P's applicability across the autism spectrum. These findings support the ASC-ASD-P as a reliable tool for assessing anxiety in German-speaking autistic youth while highlighting areas where refinement could strengthen its utility.
Details
| Original language | English |
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| Journal | Autism research |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 21 Aug 2025 |
| Peer-reviewed | Yes |
External IDs
| ORCID | /0000-0001-7579-1829/work/197321406 |
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Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Keywords
- anxiety, anxiety assessment, anxiety scale for children with autism, autism