title: Examination and validation of a measure of anxiety specific to children with autism spectrum disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Investigated the use of a combined scale (Worry/Depressed and Avoidant scales) from the Autism Spectrum Disorders-Comorbidity for Children (ASD-CC) as a measure of anxiety. Alternative methods of measuring anxiety were examined using the ASD-CC in an ASD population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants included 147 children, age 2-16 years, evincing a mixture of behavior problems. Comparisons between scores on the ASD-CC and Behavior Assessment System for Children, Second Edition (BASC-2) were examined to determine the most efficacious method of measuring anxiety and to establish convergent and discriminant validity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The worry/depressed subscale was the most effective subscale of the ASD-CC to measure anxiety with proven incremental validity over the combined scale.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The worry/depressed subscale is the best measure of anxiety utilizing the ASD-CC in children with an ASD. Additionally, convergent and discriminant validity was demonstrated by comparing the scale with similar and dissimilar scales of the BASC-2.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA. rrieske@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Rieske
authors.forename: Johnny L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Matson
authors.forename: Thompson E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Konst
authors.forename: Lindsey W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Sara E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Whiting
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011594:Psychometrics