Anxious Imagery in Children With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Investigation into Occurrence, Content, Features and Implications for Therapy.
Mental imagery has been implicated in anxiety disorders in adults, but has not been investigated in child and adolescent populations. Anxiety is highly prevalent in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and as people with ASD are often thought of as 'visual thinkers', the potential role of distressing imagery in children with ASD merits exploration. Participants aged 8-16 years were grouped as follows: ASD/high anxiety, ASD/low anxiety, non-ASD/high anxiety and non-ASD/low anxiety. Imagery and associated features were assessed using an interview. Group differences were found in number and frequency of images experienced. There were few differences between the groups in the characteristics of the spontaneous images, which included emotional valence, vividness, controllability and realism. Implications for treatment are discussed.
Children's Complex Neurodevelopmental Disability Service, Children's Neurosciences Centre Newcomen at St Thomas', South Wing, St Thomas' Hospital, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK. Ann.ozsivadjian@gstt.nhs.uk.
Ann
A
Ozsivadjian
Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Matthew J
MJ
Hollocks
Children's Complex Neurodevelopmental Disability Service, Children's Neurosciences Centre Newcomen at St Thomas', South Wing, St Thomas' Hospital, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK.
Jess
J
Southcott
Children's Complex Neurodevelopmental Disability Service, Children's Neurosciences Centre Newcomen at St Thomas', South Wing, St Thomas' Hospital, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK.
Michael
M
Absoud
MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Cambridge, UK.
Emily
E
Holmes
D000293:Adolescent; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination; D008297:Male
Anxiety; Autism spectrum disorder (ASD); Mental imagery