Parent-report vs. Child-report of Specific Anxiety in Siblings of Children with Autism: Do Parents Know What Their Children Worry About?

This project explores the anxiety and specific worries of children who have a sibling diagnosed with autism. There is clinical evidence pertinent to this topic but little published empirical research. In addition, this research explores whether parental perception of child fears is correlated with child-reported fears. Participants were recruited through local support groups for parents of children with autism. The siblings studied ranged in age from six and thirteen. Each child was given a standardized measure of general anxiety in addition to a measure of fears specific to siblings of children with autism (to be developed for this study). Parents completed measures assessing their child\u27s general anxiety, autism worries, and internalizing/externalizing problems