title: Changes in anxiety following a randomized control trial of a theatre-based intervention for youth with autism spectrum disorder.
abstract: Increased anxiety and stress are frequently found in children with autism spectrum disorder and are associated with social challenges. Recently, we reported changes in social competence following peer-mediated, theatre-based intervention. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the intervention on reducing anxiety and stress. Participants included 30 youth with autism spectrum disorder (8-14 years old) randomly assigned to the experimental (17) or waitlist control (13) group. Pretest adjusted, between-group differences were analyzed for state-anxiety, trait-anxiety, play-based cortisol, and diurnal cortisol. Pearson correlations were conducted between anxiety, cortisol, and group play. Significant pretest-adjusted between-group differences at posttest were observed on trait-anxiety (F(1, 27) = 9.16, p = 0.005) but not state-anxiety (F(1, 27) = 0.03, p = 0.86), showing lower trait-anxiety in the experimental group. There were no between-group differences on cortisol. There was a significant negative correlation between group play and trait-anxiety (r = -0.362, p = 0.05). Playground cortisol correlated with group play, for the experimental group (r = 0.55, p = 0.03). The theatre-based, peer-mediated intervention not only contributes to improvement in social competence in youth with autism spectrum disorder but also contributes to reductions in trait-anxiety associated with more social interaction with peers. Results suggest that some degree of physiological arousal is essential for social interaction.
authors.affiliation: 1 Vanderbilt University, USA.
authors.forename: Blythe A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Corbett
authors.affiliation: 1 Vanderbilt University, USA.
authors.forename: Scott D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Blain
authors.affiliation: 2 Lipscomb University, USA.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ioannou
authors.affiliation: 1 Vanderbilt University, USA.
authors.forename: Maddie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balser
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D011577:Psychodrama / Q000379:methods; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: anxiety; autism spectrum disorders; competence; cortisol; stress; theatre