Handbook of Autism and Anxiety

by Thompson E. Davis III (Editor), Susan W. White (Editor), Thomas H. Ollendick (Editor)

Overview

The diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has evolved greatly since Asperger's day. And as our clinical understanding of this spectrum of disorders has grown, so has recognition of the connections between anxiety disorders and ASD—a welcome development, but also a source of confusion for many in the field.

The Handbook of Autism and Anxiety brings together leading experts to explain this comorbidity, the diagnostic similarities and differences between the two disorders and the extent to which treatment for each can be coordinated for optimum results. Focusing on repetitive behaviors, social difficulties and fears as core components of anxiety disorders as well as ASD, contributors discuss specific symptoms in depth to aid in diagnosis. Assessment and treatment issues relevant to the autism-anxiety connection are considered in clinical and school contexts. And an especially timely conclusion details how key changes in the DSM-5 affect the diagnosis and conceptualization of each disorder.

Key topics addressed in the Handbook include:

• Phenotypic variability in ASD: clinical considerations.
• Etiologic factors and transdiagnostic processes.
• Social worries and difficulties: autism and/or social anxiety disorder?
• Implementing group CBT interventions for youth with ASD and anxiety in clinical practice.
• Autism and anxiety in school settings.
• DSM-5 and autism spectrum disorder.

The Handbook of Autism and Anxiety is an essential resource for researchers, clinicians/professionals and graduate students in child and school psychology, psychiatry, social work, education, clinical counseling and behavioral therapy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783319261430
Publisher:	Springer International Publishing
Publication date:	09/14/2014
Series:	Autism and Child Psychopathology Series
Edition description:	1st ed. 2014
Pages:	264
Product dimensions:	7.01(w) x 10.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Thompson E. Davis III, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology and Director of the Psychological Services Center at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. He is the author or co author of numerous publications and is an associate editor of Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders and Research in Developmental Disabilities and serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Anxiety Disorders, Behavior Therapy, the Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, and Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review. His research and clinical interests focus on anxiety disorders (particularly anxiety in children and specific phobias in children and adults) and the intersection of autism and anxiety.

Susan W. White, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. She has published widely in the area of psychiatric comorbidity in people with ASD, on both assessment and treatment and she has directed several open and randomized clinical trials in this area. Clinically, she directs a child assessment clinic that specializes in evaluation of suspected neurodevelopmental disorders, co-directs the VT Autism Clinic and leads a support group for adults with ASD as well as supervises a group for college students on the spectrum. In addition to her research work, she is also a psychologist in private practice.

Thomas H. Ollendick, Ph.D., is University Distinguished Prof

essor in Clinical Psychology and Director of the Child Study Center at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg. He is the author or co-author of numerous research publications, book chapters and books. He is the founding Co-Editor of Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review and the immediate past editor of Behavior Therapy and the Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology. The recipient of several NIMH grant awards, his clinical and research interests range from the study of diverse forms of child psychopathology to the assessment, treatment and prevention of these child disorders from a social learning/social cognitive theory perspective.

Table of Contents

Foreword; Simon Baron-Cohen.- Preface; Thompson E. Davis III, Susan W. White, and Thomas H. Ollendick.- PART I: INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW.- Chapter 1. The History of Autism: From Pillar to Post; Lawrence Scahill, Elizabeth Turin, and Andrea Nichole Evans.- Chapter 2. Phenotypic Variability in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Clinical Considerations; Luc Lecavalier.- Chapter 3. Anxiety Disorders; Peter Muris.- Chapter 4. Other Disorders Frequently Comorbid with Autism; Marie Nebel-Schwalm and Julie Worley.- Chapter 5. Anxiety Assessment and Treatment in Typically Developing Children; Laura Seligman, Erin Swedish, and Ellen Flannery-Schroeder.- Chapter 6. Autism and Anxiety: Overlap, Similarities, and Differences; Connor M. Kerns and Philip C. Kendall.- Chapter 7. Autism and Anxiety: Etiologic Factors and Transdiagnostic Processes; Carla A. Mazefsky and John Herrington.- PART II: AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER AND SPECIFIC ANXIETY DISORDERS.- Chapter 8. Obsessions, Compulsions, and Repetitive Behavior: Autism and/or OCD?; Monica S. Wu, Brittany M. Rudy, and Eric A. Storch.- Chapter 9. Social Worries and Difficulties: Autism and/or Social Anxiety Disorder?; Susan W. White, Amie R. Schry, and Nicole L. Kreiser.- Chapter 10. Fear: Autism and/or Specific Phobia?; Thompson E. Davis III and Thomas H. Ollendick.- PART III: ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT.- Chapter 11. Behavioral Assessment and Trea

tment for Anxiety for those with Autism Spectrum Disorder; Louis Hagopian and Heather Jennett.- Chapter 12. Treating Transdiagnostic Processes in ASD: Going Beyond Anxiety; Kate Sofronoff, Renae Beaumont, and Jonathan Weiss.- Chapter 13. Bridging the Research to Practice Gap in Autism Research: Implementing Group CBT Interventions for Youth with ASD and Anxiety in Clinical Practice; Judy Reaven, Audrey Blakeley-Smith, and Susan Hepburn.- Chapter 14. Autism and

Anxiety in School; Christopher Lopata and Marcus L. Thomeer.- PART IV: IMPLICATIONS AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS.- Chapter 15. Commentary I: The Evolution of Autism as a Diagnostic Concept: From Kanner to DSM-5; Fred Volkmar and Brian Reichow.- Chapter 16. Commentary II: DSM-5 Criteria for ASD: Research Review and Commentary; James McPartland and Geraldine Dawson.- Chapter 17. Commentary III: DSM-5 and Autism Spectrum Disorder; Catherine Lord and Katherine Gotham.

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Soo Lee, MD (Rush University Medical Center)
Description: This book presents a constellation of research and clinical perspectives of autism and anxiety. It reviews current knowledge of psychopathology, assessment, and interventions of anxiety disorders comorbid with autism.
Purpose: The book proposes to provide (1) a review of anxiety disorders and autism, (2) an in-depth discussion of specific anxiety disorders comorbid and/or differentiated from autism, (3) a review of current, limited availability of evidence-based assessment tools and treatment, future research directions, and translational issues, and (4) a comprehensive overview, current state, and future considerations in autism nosology.
Audience: The editors state that this book is intended as a resource for researchers, program trainers, and clinicians working with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, specific chapters (i.e. chapters that discuss differentiation of anxiety disorders from ASD) may extend the audience to special education teachers, social workers, and other professionals working closely with individuals with ASD (i.e. autism-specific therapeutic schools). Chapters are written by different authors who are international experts in the field.
Features: The first part of the book is a beautiful review of autism, anxiety disorders in typically developing children, and anxiety disorders comorbid with autism. The second part discusses specific anxiety disorders (i.e. obsessive-compulsive disorder), including barriers to accurate diagnosis and helpful clinical considerations. This section carefully deliberates overlapping features of specific anxiety disorders and provides clear clinical guidelines to help in differentiating anxiety disorders from ASD. The third section reviews the limited literature on assessment instruments and nonpharmacological interventions. However, the authors elaborate on current innovations, review available literature, discuss the need for further research, and draw attention to translational issues. Lastly, the book reviews the history to current nosology of ASD, covering the advances, considerations, limitations, concerns, and future directions. The authors review pertinent research studies in their discussions. Many of the authors provide a brief overview of anxiety and autism in their introductions to their chapters. I found this redundant, but such brief overviews may be helpful when the book is used as a reference and readers refer to just select chapters. Illustrations are limited.
Assessment: As the authors mention, this is a great resource for researchers and clinicians and for use as reference. I particularly appreciated the detailed review of symptoms of specific anxiety disorders that overlap and, more importantly, differ from ASD features to aid in accurate diagnosis. This has helped me sort through clinical features and to formulate a clearer approach to diagnosing anxiety disorders in individuals with ASD.

Doody's Review Service

The book is well structured and organized and it makes information accessible which may be beneficial to various disciplines. … This book has a place in an autism research center, treatment facility for individuals on the spectrum or even in a classroom where teachers are providing education for children diagnosed with ASD. The usefulness of the book in the domains of assessment, treatment and research is clear.” (Oren Shtayermman, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Vol. 46, 2016)

“This book presents a constellation of research and clinical perspectives of autism and anxiety. … this is a great resource for researchers and clinicians and for use as reference. I particularly appreciated the detailed review of symptoms of specific anxiety disorders that overlap and, more importantly, differ from ASD features to aid in accurate diagnosis.” (Soo Lee, Doody’s Book Reviews, January, 2015)

From the Publisher