ArticleJournal of autism and developmental disorders2025
A Systematic Review of Autistic Adults' Experiences of Anxiety From a Qualitative Perspective.
Article in Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
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Abstract
purposeMany autistic adults experience anxiety in ways that are qualitatively unique when compared to the experiences of non-autistic adults. In this systematic review we aimed to explore these experiences from a first-person perspective through a synthesis of qualitative evidence.
methodsOur protocol development was guided by the PRISMA framework. A search strategy was implemented across three databases, and the evaluation of study quality was conducted using a standardized measure. A total of 11 studies exploring the experiences of anxiety in autistic adults from a first-person perspective were included in the review. Eligible research comprised qualitative and mixed methods studies where identifiable quotations from autistic adults were present. The study synthesized qualitative data from primary research published in English in peer-reviewed journals. The data extracted underwent analysis via thematic synthesis.
resultsFour descriptive themes were identified: “Describing Anxiety”, “Contributors to Anxiety”, “Impact of Anxiety” and “Managing Anxiety”. Three analytical themes were identified: “The Cyclical Nature of Anxiety”, “Feeling like the Other” and “Sensory Experiences as a Source and Expression of Anxiety”.
conclusionThe current qualitative literature suggests that autistic experiences of anxiety are cyclical in nature, with factors that both converge and diverge with the non-autistic experience. Feelings of Othering can contribute to these issues, as well as being a barrier to support, while sensory experiences can play a role in the development, maintenance and soothing of anxious experiences.
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