Lopata, Donnelly, and Thomeer (2017) certified that 70% of autism diagnoses are comorbid with another disorder, with anxiety being the most common. This review of literature will begin with an exploration of previous research regarding the diagnosis of anxiety in children with autism and identify any differences in its presentation compared to children without autism. Previous research has found that anxiety symptoms can vary in children based on if they diagnostic criteria for autism (White et al, 2015), which was then used as reason to argue for the implementation of more autism-specific assessment tools (Houting et al, 2018). This review will then detail some limitations highlighted in past research regarding appropriate assessment tools to identify anxiety in non-verbal children with Autism. Lastly, our review will highlight what supports and potential barriers to support exist within homes and schools for these children. In examining previous conclusions and potential gaps found in current research, we hope to identify direction for future research on this topic.
