University of Strathclyde, UK.
Autism. 2014 Apr;18(3):244-54. doi: 10.1177/1362361312472556. Epub 2013 Oct 3.
Despite the well-documented success of cognitive restructuring techniques in the treatment of anxiety disorders, there is still little clarity on which cognitions underpin fear and anxiety in children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder. This study examined whether certain cognitive appraisals, known to be associated with fear and anxiety in typically developing groups, may help explain these emotions in children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder. It also investigated relations between these cognitive appraisals and theory of mind. Appraisals, fear and anxiety were assessed using a vignette approach in 22 children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders and 22 typically developing children. The two groups differed significantly on all four appraisal types. Anxiety was negatively correlated with future expectancy and positively with problem-focused coping potential in the high-functioning autism spectrum disorder group but was not correlated with appraisals in the typically developing group. The two appraisals associated with fear were emotion-focused coping potential (in the high-functioning autism spectrum disorder group only) and self-accountability (in the typically developing group only). Linear regression analysis found that appraisals of emotion-focused coping potential, problem-focused coping potential and future expectancy were significant predictors of theory-of-mind ability in the high-functioning autism spectrum disorders group. These findings indicate that specific, problematic patterns of appraisal may characterise children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders.
尽管认知重构技术在治疗焦虑症方面取得了良好的记录，但对于哪些认知因素是高功能自闭症谱系障碍儿童恐惧和焦虑的基础，仍然缺乏清晰的认识。本研究探讨了某些认知评估是否有助于解释高功能自闭症谱系障碍儿童的这些情绪，这些认知评估与典型发展群体中的恐惧和焦虑有关。它还调查了这些认知评估与心理理论之间的关系。使用情景方法评估了 22 名高功能自闭症谱系障碍儿童和 22 名典型发展儿童的评估、恐惧和焦虑。两组在所有四种评估类型上均存在显著差异。在高功能自闭症谱系障碍组中，焦虑与未来预期呈负相关，与问题焦点应对能力呈正相关，但与典型发展组的评估无关。与恐惧相关的两个评估是情绪焦点应对能力（仅在高功能自闭症谱系障碍组中）和自我责任感（仅在典型发展组中）。线性回归分析发现，情绪焦点应对能力、问题焦点应对能力和未来预期的评估是高功能自闭症谱系障碍组心理理论能力的显著预测因子。这些发现表明，特定的、有问题的评估模式可能是高功能自闭症谱系障碍儿童的特征。
