Brief report: joint trajectories of anxiety and depression symptoms in an inception cohort of autistic youth

Category	Detail
Condition	Anxiety and Depression in Autistic Youth
Key Mechanisms	Joint trajectories of anxiety and depression symptoms; influence of autistic traits, emotional reactivity, and communication ability.
Target Population	Autistic adolescents aged 7-16 years.
Care Setting	Clinical and research settings focusing on mental health in autistic youth.

Anxiety symptoms stable; depression symptoms increase from childhood to adolescence.
Significant heterogeneity in individual trajectories of anxiety and depression.
Greater autistic traits and emotional reactivity correlate with higher initial anxiety and depression symptoms.
Stronger communication ability linked to more initial anxiety but decreasing symptoms over time.
Importance of joint monitoring of anxiety and depression for early detection and intervention.

Utilize caregiver-reported measures for assessing anxiety and depression symptoms.

Implement early intervention strategies targeting both anxiety and depression symptoms.

Regularly monitor changes in anxiety and depression symptoms during the transition to adolescence.

Consider the impact of emotional reactivity and communication ability on mental health outcomes.

Autistic youth with varied communication abilities.

Focus on addressing both anxiety and depression symptoms concurrently.

Adopt a holistic approach to mental health care for autistic youth.
Encourage collaboration between caregivers and healthcare providers for symptom monitoring.
Tailor interventions based on individual trajectories of anxiety and depression.

Clinical Scorecard: Short report: Concurrent development of anxiety and depression symptoms in a cohort of autistic adolescents