Anxiety and Autism Spectrum Disorders: Notes for Psychoeducational Intervention

Abstract

The relationships between atypical sensory behavior, intolerance to uncertainty and emotional regulation as generators of anxiety disorders in autistic children are analyzed in narrative form. The aim is to study the origin of anxiety in autistic children in order to determine the most appropriate intervention procedures. Some of the most widely used cognitive-behavioral intervention for autistic children and the adaptations made to them have been reviewed. A gap is observed between school psychoeducational programs and clinical intervention programs for the treatment of anxiety. In conclusion, it is recommended that school psychoeducational programs incorporate proactive actions in the form of cognitive-behavioral intervention programs to prevent or reduce the negative effects of anxiety on the learning and school inclusion of autistic children.