Sex and age differences in self-reported anxiety and quality of life in autistic and non-autistic youth
Presentation Type
Abstract
Faculty Advisor
Erin Kang
Access Type
Event
Start Date
25-4-2025 10:30 AM
End Date
25-4-2025 11:29 AM
Description
Autistic youth experience higher anxiety rates compared to non-autistic peers1 impacting their quality of life (QOL)2. Sex and age play a role, with non-autistic adolescent females reporting lower QOL and higher anxiety than males.3. Adolescence brings emotionality and peer influences, increasing anxiety’s vulnerability.4. Examining effects of sex and age concurrently on anxiety and QOL is important because these factors inform developmental and mental health outcomes and can shape interventions. Autistic (n=85) and non-autistic youth (n=65), Mage=11.001, SDage=3.052, 43 females,) completed two anxiety measures (MASC-2; March, 2012,) and ( ASC-ASD; Rodgers et al., 2016), and one QOL measure (PedsQL; Varni, 1998). Only sex was correlated with anxiety scores per ASC-ASD (r=-.239, p=.015), with higher scores in females. This was seen only in ASD samples (r=-.309, p =.016). Only age was related to anxiety levels per MASC-2 (r=.258, p=.020). This was seen only in ASD samples (r =.361, p =.005). Sex predicted QOL (B = -18.974, p = .016) for teenagers, with males reporting lower QOL. The ASD samples saw child age (B= -2.245, p =.028) and sex (B= -25.805, p =.003) significantly predicted QOL. These findings highlight the distinct roles of sex and age in shaping anxiety and QOL that may be unique in autistic youth, suggesting that autism-specific anxiety interventions may need to be sex-specific, while traditional anxiety presentation may warrant consideration of developmental stages. QOL support should consider both developmental stage and sex differences. Future research should examine additional biopsychosocial determinants that contribute to anxiety and QOL in youth
Sex and age differences in self-reported anxiety and quality of life in autistic and non-autistic youth
Autistic youth experience higher anxiety rates compared to non-autistic peers1 impacting their quality of life (QOL)2. Sex and age play a role, with non-autistic adolescent females reporting lower QOL and higher anxiety than males.3. Adolescence brings emotionality and peer influences, increasing anxiety’s vulnerability.4. Examining effects of sex and age concurrently on anxiety and QOL is important because these factors inform developmental and mental health outcomes and can shape interventions. Autistic (n=85) and non-autistic youth (n=65), Mage=11.001, SDage=3.052, 43 females,) completed two anxiety measures (MASC-2; March, 2012,) and ( ASC-ASD; Rodgers et al., 2016), and one QOL measure (PedsQL; Varni, 1998). Only sex was correlated with anxiety scores per ASC-ASD (r=-.239, p=.015), with higher scores in females. This was seen only in ASD samples (r=-.309, p =.016). Only age was related to anxiety levels per MASC-2 (r=.258, p=.020). This was seen only in ASD samples (r =.361, p =.005). Sex predicted QOL (B = -18.974, p = .016) for teenagers, with males reporting lower QOL. The ASD samples saw child age (B= -2.245, p =.028) and sex (B= -25.805, p =.003) significantly predicted QOL. These findings highlight the distinct roles of sex and age in shaping anxiety and QOL that may be unique in autistic youth, suggesting that autism-specific anxiety interventions may need to be sex-specific, while traditional anxiety presentation may warrant consideration of developmental stages. QOL support should consider both developmental stage and sex differences. Future research should examine additional biopsychosocial determinants that contribute to anxiety and QOL in youth
Comments
Poster presentation at the 2025 Student Research Symposium.