For many people with Asperger’s syndrome (AS) anxiety is a major problem. A number of studies have highlighted the high frequency and severity of anxiety in this group. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is recommended as the psychological treatment of choice for anxiety disorders in people without AS, but little is known about its suitability for people with AS. People with AS often show a different cognitive profile to individuals without AS and it is possible that that they have qualitatively different fears. Despite the high occurrence of anxiety in this group, there has been relatively little research. The research that has been conducted has tended to use measures which have been developed for the population without AS and rely on reporting past experiences of anxiety. This may be difficult for people with AS because they may have idiosyncratic experiences of anxiety which do not map onto the tools developed for non-AS people. They may also find reporting past experiences difficult due to problems with autobiographical memory which are often reported in this group.
Objectives:
This study aimed to explore the phenomenology of everyday anxiety in this population and explore the feasibility of using hand-held computers (Personal Digital Assistant, PDA) to deliver a real-time stress management intervention.
Methods:
The present study used experience sampling methodology via PDAs to a) capture everyday experiences in 20 adults with AS and 20 adults without AS and b) deliver directive stress management techniques to 10 adults with AS.
Results:
The study found that the AS group were significantly more anxious than the comparison group. Factors associated with feelings of anxiety in the AS group were high levels of self-focus, worries about everyday events and periods of rumination lasting over ten minutes. Individuals in the AS group also thought more often in images, although this was not associated with feelings of anxiety. Furthermore, the real-time stress management techniques reduced subjective ratings of anxiety in individuals with AS.
Conclusions:
The results of this study suggest that individuals with AS may differ in their experience of anxiety and the use of PDAs provided a feasible mechanism for treatment. Hand-held computers offer the possibility of a more didactic intervention for anxiety within this population. High levels of anxiety and the paucity of research into psychological treatment for adults with AS speaks to the need for more appropriate interventions.