Differences in State vs. Trait Anxiety in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review

Anxiety is one of the most common co-occurring disorders in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The assessment of anxiety in children with ASD can be complex as the core symptoms of both disorders are related to social aspects of functioning. Extensive research has examined the conceptualization, and assessment of anxiety, generally, in ASD, but there is less focus on the differences between state anxiety and trait anxiety in this population. Additionally, the findings have yielded a wide range of results due to the different methodologies utilized to quantitatively assess state anxiety. This review will examine the outcomes and implications of how state and trait anxiety measures are utilized with this population.