(function(doc, html, url) {
var widget = doc.createElement("div");
widget.innerHTML = html;
var script = doc.currentScript; // e = a.currentScript;
if (!script) {
var scripts = doc.scripts;
for (var i = 0; i < scripts.length; ++i) {
script = scripts[i];
if (script.src && script.src.indexOf(url) != -1) break;
}
}
script.parentElement.replaceChild(widget, script);
}(document, '
Communication and Social Anxiety in Autistic Children: What We Know So Far
What is it about?
Social anxiety is common in many autistic adolescents. it can make everyday communication more difficult. We bring together what researchers have discovered so far about how communication skills and social anxiety relate to one another in autistic youth.
Why is it important?
This is the first systematic review to bring together the scattered scientific evidence on communication and social anxiety in autistic youth. It highlights a growing need to understand co-occurring mental health challenges in autism, especially as anxiety rates rise during childhood and adolescence. The review also draws attention to a major gap in the field: many commonly used communication and anxiety measures were not designed for autistic populations, which limits what researchers can conclude. By identifying this gap, the paper provides a roadmap for creating better assessment tools and more targeted interventions. This work is timely because clinicians, educators, and families are increasingly seeking evidence-based ways to support autistic children who experience social anxiety alongside communication challenges.