The Role of Executive Functioning as a Moderator to the Relationship between Overcontrol and Anxiety
Presentation Type
Poster
Faculty Advisor
Erin Kang
Access Type
Event
Start Date
26-4-2024 11:15 AM
End Date
26-4-2024 12:15 PM
Description
Autistic youth are at increased risk for developing anxiety disorders (Conner et al., 2020). Overcontrol, or excessive self-control, indexes similar clinical challenges (e.g., increased rigidity) to autistic traits positively associated with anxiety (Vanderbleek & Gilbert, 2018). It is well established that executive functioning (EF) is positively related to anxiety (Hollocks et al., 2014). Taken together, it is predicted that the relationship between overcontrol and anxiety will be strengthened by lower levels of EF. 50 parents of neurodiverse youth aged 6-17 reported on their children’s overcontrol (OCYC; Gilbert et al., 2020), anxiety (MASC; March, 2013), and EF (BRIEF - Global Executive Composite; Gioia et al., 2015). Moderated regression examined the effects of EF on the relationship between anxiety and overcontrol. Bivariate correlations found that overcontrol, anxiety, and EF were all significantly related (rs = .47-.49, ps < .01). EF did not moderate the relationship between overcontrol and anxiety. However, EF predicted anxiety above and beyond overcontrol, (B(SE) = .48(.16), p = .004) while overcontrol did not independently predict anxiety in the context of EF. These findings suggest that the relationship between overcontrol and anxiety may not differ by levels of EF, but when considered together, EF may be a stronger predictor of anxiety than overcontrol in neurodiverse youth. Future research should examine if results are replicated for self-reported findings, as self-report may better index the internal processes assessed (Abei et al., 2017). Overall, this study contributes to initial literature surrounding clinical profiles of overcontrol in the autistic population.
The Role of Executive Functioning as a Moderator to the Relationship between Overcontrol and Anxiety
Autistic youth are at increased risk for developing anxiety disorders (Conner et al., 2020). Overcontrol, or excessive self-control, indexes similar clinical challenges (e.g., increased rigidity) to autistic traits positively associated with anxiety (Vanderbleek & Gilbert, 2018). It is well established that executive functioning (EF) is positively related to anxiety (Hollocks et al., 2014). Taken together, it is predicted that the relationship between overcontrol and anxiety will be strengthened by lower levels of EF. 50 parents of neurodiverse youth aged 6-17 reported on their children’s overcontrol (OCYC; Gilbert et al., 2020), anxiety (MASC; March, 2013), and EF (BRIEF - Global Executive Composite; Gioia et al., 2015). Moderated regression examined the effects of EF on the relationship between anxiety and overcontrol. Bivariate correlations found that overcontrol, anxiety, and EF were all significantly related (rs = .47-.49, ps < .01). EF did not moderate the relationship between overcontrol and anxiety. However, EF predicted anxiety above and beyond overcontrol, (B(SE) = .48(.16), p = .004) while overcontrol did not independently predict anxiety in the context of EF. These findings suggest that the relationship between overcontrol and anxiety may not differ by levels of EF, but when considered together, EF may be a stronger predictor of anxiety than overcontrol in neurodiverse youth. Future research should examine if results are replicated for self-reported findings, as self-report may better index the internal processes assessed (Abei et al., 2017). Overall, this study contributes to initial literature surrounding clinical profiles of overcontrol in the autistic population.