Behavioural and physiological indicators of anxiety reflect shared and distinct profiles across individuals with neurogenetic syndromes

Abstract

Anxiety is heightened in individuals with intellectual disability, particularly in those with specific neurogenetic syndromes. Assessment of anxiety for these individuals is hampered by a lack of appropriate measures that cater for communication impairment, differences in presentation, and overlapping features with co-occurring conditions. Here, we adopt a multi-method approach to identify fine-grained behavioural and physiological (via salivary cortisol) responses to anxiety presses in people with fragile X (FXS; n = 27; Mage = 20.11 years; range 6.32 – 47.04 years) and Cornelia de Lange syndromes (CdLS; n = 27; Mage = 18.42 years; range 4.28 – 41.08 years), two neurogenetic groups at high risk for anxiety, compared to neurotypical children (NT; n = 21; Mage = 5.97 years; range 4.34 – 7.30 years). Results indicate that physical avoidance of feared stimuli and proximity seeking to a familiar adult are prominent behavioural indicators of anxiety/stress in FXS and CdLS. Heightened pervasive physiological arousal was identified in these groups via salivary cortisol. An association between autistic characteristics and anxiety was evident in the FXS group but not in the CdLS group pointing to syndrome-specific nuances in the association between anxiety and autism. This study furthers understanding of the behavioural and physiological presentation of anxiety in individuals with intellectual disability and progresses theoretical developments regarding the development and maintenance of anxiety at the intersection of autism.