Reliability and Validity of Parent- and Child-Rated Anxiety Measures in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Kaat, Aaron J.; Lecavalier, Luc

doi:10.1007/s10803-015-2481-y

Cited by 83Autism Spectrum Disorder ResearchAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development

Reliability and Validity of Parent- and Child-Rated Anxiety Measures in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Kaat, Aaron J., Lecavalier, Luc·2015·Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders

DOI 10.1007/s10803-015-2481-y

Open this paper in CoChat — free account

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and anxiety frequently co-occur. Research on the phenomenology and treatment of anxiety in ASD is expanding, but is hampered by the lack of instruments validated for this population. This study evaluated the self- and parent-reported Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale in Children-2 among 46 youth with ASD. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were acceptable, but inter-rater reliability was poor. Parent-child agreement was better for youth with higher IQs, less severe ASD symptoms, or more social cognitive skills. Convergent and divergent validity were acceptable. Demographic characteristics were considered as predictors of anxiety: they were unrelated to parent-report, but younger age and more severe ASD were related to increased self-reported anxiety.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1007/s10803-015-2481-y

Cites

0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Recomputing p-values needs the paper’s full text.

Claims the paper makes

This paper’s full text isn’t openly available, so its claims and self-check weren’t run. The registry and citation checks still apply.

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

The RCADS-P/C has been validated for use with autistic youth.
“The RCADS-P/C has been validated for use with autistic youth (Kaat & Lecavalier, 2015; Khalfe et al., 2023).”
From Community-guided, autism-adapted group cognitive behavioral therapy for depression in autistic youth (CBT-DAY): Preliminary feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy (2024) · cites this paper as Kaat & Lecavalier, 2015
The RCADS-P/C has been validated for use with autistic adolescents.
“The RCADS-P/C has been validated for use with autistic adolescents (Kaat & Lecavalier, 2015; Sterling et al., 2015).”
From The relationship between distress tolerance and behavioral activation on anxiety and depression symptomatology in autistic youth: Leveraging self and caregiver perspectives (2024) · cites this paper as Kaat & Lecavalier, 2015

Psychiatric Disorders in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: Prevalence, Comorbidity, and Associated Factors in a Population-Derived Sample
Simonoff, E., Pickles, A., Charman, T., Chandler, S., Loucas, T., & Baird, G. (2008) · Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1097/chi.0b013e318179964f · Cited by 3,399 · see citing works
Standardizing ADOS Scores for a Measure of Severity in Autism Spectrum Disorders
Gotham, K., Pickles, A., & Lord, C. (2009) · Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders · doi:10.1007/s10803-008-0674-3 · Cited by 1,605 · see citing works
Anxiety in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders
White, S. W., Oswald, D., Ollendick, T., & Scahill, L. (2009) · Clinical Psychology Review · doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2009.01.003 · Cited by 1,427 · cited 1× · see citing works
“These results are perplexing, as others have argued that anxiety should be more common among those who are older or have less severe ASD symptoms (White et al. 2009), and other studies that correlated ASD severity with anxiety found nonsignificant low-to-negligible correlations (e.”
Result
Structure of anxiety symptoms among children: A confirmatory factor-analytic study.
Spence, S. H. (1997) · Journal of Abnormal Psychology · doi:10.1037/0021-843x.106.2.280 · Cited by 753 · see citing works
The Effect of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Versus Treatment as Usual for Anxiety in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Randomized, Controlled Trial
Storch, E. A., Arnold, E. B., Lewin, A. B., Nadeau, J. M., Jones, A. M., De Nadai, A. S., Jane Mutch, P., Selles, R. R., Ung, D., & Murphy, T. K. (2013) · Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2012.11.007 · Cited by 267 · see citing works
Reliability and Validity of Parent and Child Versions of the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children in Community Samples
BALDWIN, J. S., & DADDS, M. R. (2007) · Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1097/01.chi.0000246065.93200.a1 · Cited by 252 · see citing works
Parent and child perspectives on the nature of anxiety in children and young people with autism spectrum disorders: a focus group study
Ozsivadjian, A., Knott, F., & Magiati, I. (2012) · Autism · doi:10.1177/1362361311431703 · Cited by 161 · see citing works
The pathogenesis of childhood anxiety disorders: considerations from a developmental psychopathology perspective
Muris, P. (2006) · International Journal of Behavioral Development · doi:10.1177/0165025406059967 · Cited by 128 · see citing works

Flagged first, then by citations

Sorted by citations

The Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale: A systematic review and reliability generalization meta-analysis
Piqueras, J. A., Martín-Vivar, M., Sandín, B., Costas, C. S. L., & Pineda, D. (2017) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2017.04.022 · Cited by 194 · see citing works
Clinically Significant Anxiety in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Varied Intellectual Functioning
Kerns, C. M., Winder-Patel, B., Iosif, A. M., Nordahl, C. W., Heath, B., Solomon, M., & Amaral, D. G. (2021) · Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology · doi:10.1080/15374416.2019.1703712 · Cited by 156 · see citing works
“Self and teacher reports of internalizing symptoms, like anxiety, often differ in youth with (BlakeleySmith, Reaven, Ridge, & Hepburn, 2012; Kaat & Lecavalier, 2015) and without ASD (Miller, Martinez, Shumka, & Baker, 2014), and these differences in perspective may provide important, complementary…”
Background
Co-occurring obsessive–compulsive disorder and autism spectrum disorder in young people: prevalence, clinical characteristics and outcomes
Martin, A., Jassi, A., Cullen, A. E., Broadbent, M., Downs, J., & Krebs, G. (2020) · European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1007/s00787-020-01478-8 · Cited by 62 · see citing works
The measurement properties of the spence children's anxiety scale‐parent version in a large international pooled sample of young people with autism spectrum disorder
Magiati, I., Lerh, J. W., Hollocks, M. J., Uljarević, M., Rodgers, J., McConachie, H., Ozsivadjian, A., South, M., Hecke, A. V. V., Hardan, A. Y., et al. (2017) · Autism Research · doi:10.1002/aur.1809 · Cited by 58 · see citing works
“Although anxiety rating agreement between caregivers and children with ASD has ranged from poor (i.e. Kaat & Lecavalier, 2015; Kerns et al., 2015; Renno & Wood, 2013) to moderately good (i.e. Magiati et al., 2014; Blakeley-Smith et al., 2012; Ozsivadjian et al., 2014; van Steensel et al., 2012),…”
Background
Anxiety and intellectual functioning in autistic children: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Mingins, J., Tarver, J., Waite, J., Jones, C. A., & Surtees, A. D. R. (2020) · Autism · doi:10.1177/1362361320953253 · Cited by 55 · see citing works
Exploring anxiety symptomatology in school-aged autistic children using an autism-specific assessment
den Houting, J., Adams, D., Roberts, J., & Keen, D. (2018) · Research in Autism · doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2018.03.005 · Cited by 55 · see citing works
Comparisons of the Factor Structure and Measurement Invariance of the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale—Parent Version in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Typically Developing Anxious Children
Glod, M., Creswell, C., Waite, P., Jamieson, R., McConachie, H., South, M., & Rodgers, J. (2017) · Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders · doi:10.1007/s10803-017-3118-0 · Cited by 63 · see citing works
“Kaat and Lecavalier (2015) evaluated the self- and parent-reported revised child anxiety and depression scale (RCADS) and a more recent version of the MASC among youth with ASD and raised some concerns regarding the construct validity of anxiety in ASD as measured by these scales.”
Brief Report: Bullying and Anxiety in High-Functioning Adolescents with ASD
van Schalkwyk, G. I., Smith, I. C., Silverman, W., & Volkmar, F. (2017) · Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders · doi:10.1007/s10803-017-3378-8 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
Discrepancies Between Parent and Child Ratings of Anxiety in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Kalvin, C. B., Marsh, C. L., Ibrahim, K., Gladstone, T., Woodward, D. W., Grantz, H., Ventola, P., & Sukhodolsky, D. G. (2019) · Autism Research · doi:10.1002/aur.2220 · Cited by 52 · see citing works
“Higher scores indicate greater severity of ASD-related symptoms and have been associated with higher scores on child anxiety ratings, including the MASC-2 [Kaat & Lecavalier 2015].”
BackgroundMethodResultInfluential
Self-Esteem, Internalizing Symptoms, and Theory of Mind in Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorder
McCauley, J. B., Harris, M., Zajic, M., Swain-Lerro, L., Oswald, T. M., McIntyre, N., Trzesniewski, K., Mundy, P., & Solomon, M. (2019) · Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology · doi:10.1080/15374416.2017.1381912 · Cited by 52 · see citing works
“Indeed, researchers have cautioned the use of self-report anxiety scales due to inconsistencies in how items may be interpreted by different raters (Kaat & Lecavalier, 2015; Storch et al., 2012).”
Background
Validity of the WISC-V in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Factor Structure and Measurement Invariance
Stephenson, K. G., Beck, J. S., South, M., Norris, M., & Butter, E. (2021) · Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology · doi:10.1080/15374416.2020.1846543 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
“…have been found to have adequate validity in ASD (Pandolfi et al., 2009, 2012), others, such as the Spence Anxiety Scale for Children (SCAS; Spence, 1998), have been shown to have significant limitations in their appropriateness and validity in ASD (Glod et al., 2017; Kaat & Lecavalier, 2015).”
Background
An exploration of autism‐specific and non‐autism‐specific measures of anxiety symptomatology in school‐aged autistic children
den Houting, J., Adams, D., Roberts, J., & Keen, D. (2019) · Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1111/cp.12174 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
5-day multi-session intermittent theta burst stimulation over bilateral posterior superior temporal sulci in adults with autism-a pilot study
Ni, H., Lin, H.-Y., Chen, Y.-L., Hung, J., Wu, C.-T., Wu, Y.-Y., Liang, H.-Y., Chen, R.-S., Gau, S., & Huang, Y.-Z. (2021) · Biomedical Journal · doi:10.1016/j.bj.2021.07.008 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
“This inconsistency may thus in part arise from report bias between multiple informants [47,48], especially in intellectually able people with ASD [49].”
Background
The Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders Is Sensitive but Not Specific in Identifying Anxiety in Children with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot Comparison to the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment Scales
Lohr, W. D., Daniels, K., Wiemken, T. L., Williams, P. G., Kelley, R. R., Kuravackel, G. M., & Sears, L. L. (2017) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00138 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
“Several studies have reviewed the strengths and weaknesses of brief measures of anxiety in ASD (8, 16, 17).”
BackgroundMethod
Network Analysis of Anxiety in the Autism Realm
Montazeri, F., de Bildt, A. A., Dekker, V., & Anderson, G. M. (2018) · Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders · doi:10.1007/s10803-018-3474-4 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
“Although the internal consistency appears acceptable and similar to that in other samples, definitive evidence is lacking for the convergent and divergent validity of the RCADS in individuals with ASDs (Hallett et al. 2013; Sterling et al. 2015; Kaat and Lecavalier 2015), and there has been a recent attempt to optimiz…”
Result
The Interactive Trauma Scale: A Web-Based Measure for Children with Autism
Hoover, D. W., & Romero, E. M. G. (2019) · Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders · doi:10.1007/s10803-018-03864-3 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
How Anxious Do You Think I Am? Relationship Between State and Trait Anxiety in Children With and Without ASD During Social Tasks
Mertens, J. B., Zane, E. R., Neumeyer, K., & Grossman, R. B. (2017) · Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders · doi:10.1007/s10803-016-2979-y · Cited by 28 · see citing works
“We predicted that parent- and self- reports in the ASD cohort will reflect higher levels of trait anxiety than in the TD group (Kaat and Lecavalier 2015).”
BackgroundInfluential
Stress and Anxiety Among Parents of Transition-Aged Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Systematic Review of Interventions and Scales
Agarwal, R., Wuyke, G. M., Sharma, U., Burke, S. L., Howard, M. M., Li, T., Sánchez, M., & Bastida, E. (2022) · Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders · doi:10.1007/s40489-022-00340-8 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
“…that only one study included children in its mindfulness intervention, despite the high rates of anxiety among transition-aged children with ASD (Kaat & Lecavalier, 2015; van Steensel et al., 2011) and the potential of mindfulness training to improve behaviors, ASD symptoms, and emotional…”
Real-world executive functioning for autistic children in school and home settings
Tschida, J. E., & Yerys, B. E. (2021) · Autism · doi:10.1177/13623613211041189 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
“…ratings from home and school settings is also needed as prior research shows poor inter-rater reliability between home and school ratings of child behavior (Achenbach et al., 2005; Azad & Mandell, 2016; Kaat & Lecavalier, 2015; Mitsis et al., 2000; Power et al., 1998; Stratis & Lecavalier, 2015).”
Felt but not seen: Observed restricted repetitive behaviors are associated with self-report—but not parent-report—obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms in youth with autism spectrum disorder
Santore, L. A., Gerber, A. S., Gioia, A. N., Bianchi, R., Talledo, F., Peris, T. S., & Lerner, M. D. (2020) · Autism · doi:10.1177/1362361320909177 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
“Past studies indicate that it exhibits adequate psychometric properties for use in ASD populations (Kaat & Lecavalier, 2015; White et al., 2012, 2015).”
Background
Profiles and Correlates of Parent–Child Agreement on Social Anxiety Symptoms in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Burrows, C. A., Usher, L. V., Becker‐Haimes, E. M., McMahon, C. M., Mundy, P. C., Jensen‐Doss, A., & Henderson, H. A. (2018) · Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders · doi:10.1007/s10803-018-3461-9 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
“However, many youth with ASD possess the insight necessary to report on their social anxiety symptoms (Kaat and Lecavalier 2015; Schiltz et al. 2017; Simon and Corbett 2013).”
Background
Experience sampling of positive affect in adolescents with autism: Feasibility and preliminary findings
Kovac, M., Mosner, M. G., Miller, S., Hanna, E. K., & Dichter, G. S. (2016) · Research in Autism · doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2016.06.003 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
“…limitation of the present study is the long-standing issue of the validity of self-report of affective states in ASD (Berthoz & Hill, 2005; Kaat & Lecavalier, 2015), and future research that addresses the correspondence between self-and caregiver-report indices of positive affect in ASD…”
Background
Considering efficacy and effectiveness trials of cognitive behavioral therapy among youth with autism: A systematic review
Lake, J. K., Modica, P. T., Chan, V., & Weiss, J. A. (2020) · Autism · doi:10.1177/1362361320918754 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
“…way given that there is often low reliability in the self-report for youth with autism (Mazefsky et al., 2011) and that there is commonly low concordance among informants when reporting on the emotions and emotion regulation of youth with autism (Kaat & Lecavalier, 2015; Mazefsky et al., 2011).”
Background
Predictors of Parent–Teacher Agreement in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Their Typically Developing Siblings
Stratis, E. A., & Lecavalier, L. (2017) · Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders · doi:10.1007/s10803-017-3173-6 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Self-citation
Cognitive-behavioral approaches for children with autism spectrum disorder: A trend analysis
Ho, B. P. V., Stephenson, J., & Carter, M. (2018) · Research in Autism · doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2017.10.003 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Assessment of anxiety in children and adolescents: A comparative study on the validity and reliability of the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale in children and adolescents with anxiety and Autism Spectrum Disorder
Toscano, R., Baillie, A., Lyneham, H. J., Kelly, A., Kidd, T., & Hudson, J. L. (2019) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2019.09.055 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Assessment of Anxiety in Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Moskowitz, L. J., Rosen, T. E., Lerner, M. D., & Levine, K. (2017) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-805122-1.00005-3 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
Community-guided, autism-adapted group cognitive behavioral therapy for depression in autistic youth (CBT-DAY): Preliminary feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy
Schwartzman, J. M., Roth, M. C., Paterson, A. V., Jacobs, A. X., & Williams, Z. J. (2024) · Autism · doi:10.1177/13623613231213543 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
“The RCADS-P/C has been validated for use with autistic youth (Kaat & Lecavalier, 2015; Khalfe et al., 2023).”
Method
Predictors of Suicidal Thoughts in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Anxiety or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: The Unique Contribution of Externalizing Behaviors
Buissonnière-Ariza, V. L., Schneider, S. C., Cepeda, S. L., Wood, J. J., Kendall, P. C., Small, B. J., Wood, K. S., Kerns, C. M., Saxena, K., & Storch, E. A. (2021) · Child Psychiatry & Human Development · doi:10.1007/s10578-020-01114-1 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Assessing Irritability in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Using the Affective Reactivity Index
Kalvin, C. B., Gladstone, T. R., Jordan, R. P., Rowley, S., Marsh, C. L., Ibrahim, K., & Sukhodolsky, D. G. (2020) · Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders · doi:10.1007/s10803-020-04627-9 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Autistic Adolescents’ and Their Parents’ Visions for the Future: How Aligned are They?
Kirby, A., Diener, M. L., Dean, E. E., Darlington, A., Myers, A., & Henderson, J. (2021) · Autism in Adulthood · doi:10.1089/aut.2020.0061 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Parent Emotion Socialization in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Co-Occurring Anxiety
Jordan, R. P., Kalvin, C. B., Ibrahim, K., & Sukhodolsky, D. G. (2020) · Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology · doi:10.1007/s10802-020-00731-7 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Theory of Mind Performance in Broad Autism Phenotype Groups: Between-Group Differences and Predictor Variables
Camodeca, A. (2019) · Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders · doi:10.1007/s10803-019-04126-6 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Psychometric properties of the revised children’s anxiety and depression scale (RCADS) for autistic youth without co-occurring intellectual disability
Khalfe, N., Goetz, A. R., Trent, E. S., Guzick, A. G., Smarason, O., Kook, M., Olsen, S., Ramirez, A. C., Weinzimmer, S. A., Berry, L., et al. (2023) · Journal of Mood and Anxiety Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.xjmad.2023.100017 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
“We hypothesized, based on studies with similar samples [22,23] that RCADS-C/P would have moderate-to-good convergent and divergent validity.”
Influential
Investigating the Effects of Transdiagnostic Processes on Anxiety and Depression Symptoms in Autistic Young People: the Mediating Role of Emotion Dysregulation.
Barnes, G. L., Ozsivadjian, A., Baird, G., Absoud, M., & Hollocks, M. J. (2025) · Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders · doi:10.1007/s10803-024-06246-0 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Evaluating the Use of Self-reported Measures in Autistic Individuals in the Context of Psychiatric Assessment: A Systematic Review
Kim, S. Y., & Lecavalier, L. (2021) · Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders · doi:10.1007/s10803-021-05323-y · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Self-citation
Longitudinal associations between early childhood irritability and adolescent depression symptoms in autistic children are mediated by peer relationships but not educational engagement
Leno, V. C., Wright, N., Pickles, A. R., Bedford, R., Zaidman‐Zait, A., Kerns, C. M., Zwaigenbaum, L., Duku, E., Bennett, T. A., Georgiades, S., et al. (2023) · Development and Psychopathology · doi:10.1017/s0954579422001316 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
“…between self-and other-rated measures in autistic populations, and whether existing measures of internalizing symptoms are suitable for autistic children and adolescents, including those with intellectual and/or communicative disabilities (e.g., Kaat & Lecavalier, 2015; Wigham & McConachie, 2014).”
Anxiety in Wiedemann–Steiner syndrome
Ng, R., Bjornsson, H., Fahrner, J., & Harris, J. (2022) · American Journal of Medical Genetics. Part A · doi:10.1002/ajmg.a.63040 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
“…been similarly reported in prior research involving situational anxiety (e.g., dental anxiety, Patel et al., 2015) and other psychopathology among those with intellectual disability (Scott & Havercamp, 2018) and neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., autism spectrum disorder, Kaat & Lecavalier, 2015).”
Background
Emotional and behavioral problems in children with autism spectrum disorder and psychological distress in their parents in Saudi Arabia: The moderating effect of marital relationship satisfaction.
Khusaifan, S. J., & Keshky, M. E. S. E. (2022) · Journal of pediatric nursing · doi:10.1016/j.pedn.2022.03.015 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Caregiver- and Child-Reported Anxiety Using an Autism-Specific Measure: Measurement Properties and Correlates of the Anxiety Scale for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASC-ASD) in Verbal Young People with ASD
Soh, C. P., Goh, T.-J., Magiati, I., & Sung, M. (2020) · Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders · doi:10.1007/s10803-020-04739-2 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
"My cheeks get red and my brain gets scared": A computer assisted interview to explore experiences of anxiety in young children on the autism spectrum.
Simpson, K., Adams, D., Ambrose, K., & Keen, D. (2021) · Research in Developmental Disabilities · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2021.103940 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Depression, Anxiety, and Hyperactivity in Youth with HFASD: A Replication and Extension of Symptom Level Differences in Self-Report Versus Parent Report
Taylor, J. M., Volker, M. A., Rispoli, K. M., Rodgers, J. D., Thomeer, M. L., Lopata, C. J., Chow, S. Y., Toomey, J. A., & Smerbeck, A. (2018) · Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders · doi:10.1007/s10803-018-3779-3 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Behavioral and Social Activation in Autism and Associations with Youth Depressive Symptoms from Youth and Caregiver Perspectives
Schwartzman, J. M., & Bonner, H. R. (2024) · Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders · doi:10.1007/s10803-023-06039-x · Cited by 8 · see citing works
“Our findings replicate and expand previous work by Kaat and Lecavalier (2015) as discrepancies were observed between 100 autistic youth and 100 caregivers on ratings of youth internalizing symptoms, with more severe ratings by caregivers than youth.”
The Association between Parental Educational Expectations and School Functioning among Young People with Disabilities: A Longitudinal Investigation
O'Donnell, A. W., Redmond, G., Arciuli, J., Robinson, S., Skattebol, J., Raghavendra, P., Thomson, C., Wang, J. J. J., & Emerson, E. (2022) · Exceptional Children · doi:10.1177/00144029221087392 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
“However, past research has shown that high levels of communication difficulties and disability severity can adversely impact parent-child agreement on measures (Kaat & Lecavalier, 2015).”
Background
Empathy and Anxiety in Young Girls with Fragile X Syndrome
Miller, J. G., Bartholomay, K., Lee, C. H., Bruno, J., Lightbody, A., & Reiss, A. (2020) · Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders · doi:10.1007/s10803-021-05105-6 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Cluster‐randomised controlled trial of an occupational therapy intervention for children aged 11–13 years, designed to increase participation to prevent symptoms of mental illness
Tokolahi, E., Vandal, A., Kersten, P., Pearson, J., & Hocking, C. (2018) · Child and Adolescent Mental Health · doi:10.1111/camh.12270 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
“The RCADS concurrent validity has been demonstrated (Kaat & Lecavalier, 2015); it has good internal consistency (generalised anxiety (GA) a = .88; and depression, a = .83) and has Table 2.”
Background
Sex/Gender Differences in Internalizing Problems of Autistic Children and Young People: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Suominen, E. H., Chen, C. A., Dunlop, A., Saunders, R., & Mandy, W. (2025) · Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2025.10.010 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Caregiver and Youth Inter-Rater Assessment Agreement in Autism Spectrum Disorder, Developmental Coordination Disorder, and Typical Development
Shipkova, M., Butera, C., Flores, G. D., Kilroy, E., Jayashankar, A., Harrison, L. A., Cermak, S. A., & Aziz-Zadeh, L. (2024) · Autism Research · doi:10.1002/aur.3110 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
“Although there is some evidence for validity in comparisons across the constructs of anxiety and ADHD in ASD (Gadow et al., 2005; Kaat & Lecavalier, 2015; Lecavalier et al., 2011; Renno & Wood, 2013; Stern et al., 2014; Storch, Wood, et al., 2012; Yerys et al., 2017), less of this work has been…”
Background
Anxiety Disorders in Autistic People
Schiltz, H. K., McVey, A. J., & Lord, C. (2024) · Psychiatric Clinics of North America · doi:10.1016/j.psc.2024.04.016 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Factors Influencing Agreement between Parent and Child Reports of Anxiety Symptoms among Children with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders
Ooi, Y. P., Weng, S.-J., Magiati, I., Ang, R. P.-H., Goh, T. J., Fung, D. S. S., & Sung, M. (2016) · Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities · doi:10.1007/s10882-016-9481-5 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
Social Skills Interventions for Adolescents with Level 1 Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
(2024) · PubMed Central · doi:10.36131/cnfioritieditore20240302 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
“Some programs adopt didactic approaches with structured lessons, while others utilize play-based interventions to elicit social skills (Kaat & Lecavalier, 2015).”
Background
Clinical Considerations for an Evidence-Based Assessment of Anxiety Disorders in Children and Adolescents
Miller, M., Steuber, E. R., & Mcguire, J. F. (2024) · Psychiatric Clinics of North America · doi:10.1016/j.psc.2024.04.010 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Understanding Emotional Outbursts: A Cross-Cultural Study in Latin American Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Teixeira, M. C. T. V., Lowenthal, R., Rattazzi, A., Cukier, S., Valdez, D., Garcia, R., Candela, G. G., Rosoli, A., Leite, F. P. D. S., Pinheiro, G., et al. (2024) · Brain Sciences · doi:10.3390/brainsci14101010 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
“This can be due to internal factors (such as sensory sensitivities or difficulty in processing emotions) or external factors (such as changes in routine or challenging social interactions) [21].”
Background
Validity of Self-Reports Provided by People With Autism Spectrum Disorder Without Intellectual Disability: A Meta-Analysis
Henríquez, M. D., Botella, J., & Carmona, M. B. (2023) · Anales de Psicología · doi:10.6018/analesps.509191 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
“The differences between parents’ and people with ASD’ ratings are that the latter’s anxiety has also been associated with the type of assessment tool used and the age group (Bitsika & Sharpley, 2014; Kaat & Lecavalier, 2015; Swain et al., 2015).”
Method
Brief Report: Caregiver Confidence in Reporting Anxiety Symptoms in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Williams, M. E., Duker, L. I. S., Vigen, C., Wylde, C., & Cermak, S. (2021) · Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders · doi:10.1007/s10803-021-05210-6 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
A preliminary evaluation of metacognitive beliefs in high functioning children with autism spectrum disorder
Campbell, B., Curran, M., Inkpen, R., Katsikitis, M., & Kannis‐Dymand, L. (2018) · Advances in Autism · doi:10.1108/aia-08-2017-0017 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Effects of Stepped Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Child Depressive and Externalizing Symptoms in Autistic Children With Anxiety
Rast, C. E., Guzick, A. G., Soileau, K. J., Smárason, O., Berry, L. N., Goin‐Kochel, R. P., Goodman, W. K., Schneider, S. C., Salloum, A., & Storch, E. A. (2025) · American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities · doi:10.1352/1944-7558-130.3.228 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
The relationship between distress tolerance and behavioral activation on anxiety and depression symptomatology in autistic youth: Leveraging self and caregiver perspectives
Schwartzman, J. M., Antezana, L., & Conner, C. M. (2024) · Autism Research · doi:10.1002/aur.3208 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
“The RCADS-P/C has been validated for use with autistic adolescents (Kaat & Lecavalier, 2015; Sterling et al., 2015).”
Brief report: joint trajectories of anxiety and depression symptoms in an inception cohort of autistic youth
Hunsche, M. C., Zaidman‐Zait, A., Olana, M., Szatmári, P., Bennett, T., Duku, E., Georgiades, S., Smith, I. M., Zwaigenbaum, L., Elsabbagh, M., et al. (2026) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1741956 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Fear of Negative Evaluation and Social Anxiety in Autism: A Case for Multi-method Assessment.
Kalinyak, A., Simmons, G. L., Corbett, B., Lerner, M., & White, S. (2025) · Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders · doi:10.1007/s10803-025-07119-w · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Stability and Validity of Self-Reported Depression and Anxiety in Autistic Youth
Kim, S. Y., & Lecavalier, L. (2024) · Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders · doi:10.1007/s10803-024-06456-6 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
“This is in line with previous findings from the initial study by Chorpita and colleagues (2000) and studies in ASD (Kaat & Lecavalier, 2015).”
InfluentialSelf-citation
Investigating language skills as a mediator between IQ and anxiety in autistic youth
Rinaldo, E., Anagnostou, E., Giorgiades, S., Ayub, M., Nicolson, R., & Kelley, E. (2021) · Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2021.101846 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
The Stability of Self-Reported Anxiety in Youth with Autism Versus ADHD or Typical Development
Schiltz, H. K., McIntyre, N., Swain-Lerro, L., Zajic, M., & Mundy, P. (2017) · Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders · doi:10.1007/s10803-017-3184-3
Differences in Reporting Suicidality Among Autistic Girls: Comparing Parent-, Child Self-, and Clinician-Rated Child Self-Reports Between Distinct Measures.
Rousan, M. J., McGonigle, T., Muscatello, R. A., Vandekar, S., & Corbett, B. (2026) · Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders · doi:10.1007/s10803-026-07588-7
Differences in State vs. Trait Anxiety in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review
Ellison, K. S., Pagán, A. F., Flint, D. D., & Davis, T. E., III (2026) · Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders · doi:10.1007/s40489-026-00599-1
Nonpharmacological Interventions for Social Anxiety in Youth With Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Meta-Analysis
Guan, X., Li, X., Afzal, K. I., He, J., Chen, J.-P., Wang, B.-B., Feng, Y.-Y., Sun, J.-L., & Wang, Y. (2026) · Research on Social Work Practice · doi:10.1177/10497315261471082
Naturalistic outcomes of the facing your fears program for autistic youth with anxiety in an outpatient hospital setting
Picoto, M., Tagavi, D. M., Pickering, S., Lupaş, A. B., Rutter, T. M., & McVey, A. J. (2026) · Research in Autism · doi:10.1016/j.reia.2026.202883
Eliciting the views of autistic adolescents attending specialist schools on what friendships mean to them
Halsall, J., Robinson, E., Cook, A., Halsall, A., & Crane, L. (2026) · Autism · doi:10.1177/13623613251414302
“…et al., 2018; Sandercock et al., 2020), autistic traits (Pagán et al., 2024), social skills (Cederlund et al., 2010; Lerner et al., 2012), executive functioning (Kenworthy et al., 2022) and symptoms of anxiety (Kaat & Lecavalier, 2015; Kalvin et al., 2020; Storch et al., 2012; White et al., 2012).”
Exploring trajectories of anxiety symptoms in autistic and non-autistic youth over adolescence using parent- and self-report measures
Cola, M., Muscatello, R. A., Zhang, X., Vandekar, S., McGonigle, T., & Corbett, B. A. (2026) · Research in Autism · doi:10.1016/j.reia.2026.202830
Associations Between Communication Skills and Social Anxiety in Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review
Norozi, M., Sarmukadam, K., Paterra, V., Parks, E. L., & Hogan, A. L. (2025) · Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research · doi:10.1044/2025_jslhr-25-00219 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Measurement invariance of the Child Behavior Checklist in autistic toddlers
Benninger, T. L., Norris, M., & Witwer, A. N. (2024) · Research in Autism · doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2024.102500 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Social Communication Symptoms in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Predicting Comorbid Anxiety Disorder
Cleinmark, P. D., Freeman, A., McKenney, E. L. W., Kehl, L. M., Hupp, S., & Jewell, J. D. (2020) · Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment · doi:10.1177/0734282920930539
“…is unknown how anxiety symptoms interact with and influence ASD symptoms, and as yet, all investigations of that interaction have emphasized how the presence of ASD may affect anxiety measurement (e.g., Kaat & Lecavalier, 2015; Rodgers et al., 2016; Scahill et al., 2019), rather than the converse.”
Background
Measuring Psychiatric Symptoms in Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Ahlers, K. P., Kurtz‐Nelson, E. C., Grebe, S. C., Samaco, R. C., & Storch, E. A. (2021) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-819641-0.00127-4
LA EVALUACIÓN MULTI-INFORMANTE EN EL TRASTORNO DEL ESPECTRO AUTISTA: UN ESTUDIO DE REVISIÓN
Tárraga-Mínguez, R., & Sanz-Cervera, P. (2020) · Papeles del Psicólogo · doi:10.23923/pap.psicol2020.2933
Evaluation of the predictive ability of a screening instrument used to diagnose co-occurrence of anxiety in children with high-functioning autism.
Zachary, A. (2018) · doi:10.18297/etd/3093
“Kaat and Lecavalier in 2015 studied the reliability and validity between parent and child rated anxiety measures in children with ASD (47).”
BackgroundResult

Authors: Kaat, A. J., & Lecavalier, L.
Affiliations: Northwestern University (US)
The Ohio State University (US)
Corresponding author: Kaat, Aaron J.
ORCID: Kaat, Aaron J.
Lecavalier, Luc
Venue: Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published: 2015-06-03
Volume: 45
Issue: 10
Pages: 3219-3231
ISSN: 0162-3257 (ISSN-L)
1573-3432
DOI: 10.1007/s10803-015-2481-y
OpenAlex: W1898848487
Cited by: 83
References: 0
Citations by year: 2026: 7 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 2
FWCI: 4.61
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
Locations: Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders: Ohio Department of Mental Health (Small Grants Program)
Nisonger Center Research Fund
Topics: Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
Keywords: autism spectrum disorder, anxiety, Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale, parent report, self-report, inter-rater reliability, parent-child agreement, convergent validity, discriminant validity, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, socio-cognitive skills, IQ, ASD severity, predictors of anxiety
MeSH terms: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Adolescent, Adult, Anxiety, Child, Female, Humans, Male, Parents, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Psychometrics, Self Report

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review

Reliability and Validity of Parent- and Child-Rated Anxiety Measures in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Integrity signals

Claims the paper makes

Claims other papers make about this one

Cites

Cited by

Record

About these checks