Poster #16 - The Influence of Autism Symptom Severity, Peer Victimization, and Prosocial Experiences on Social Anxiety in Youth

• In Event: Poster Session 16

Abstract

Peer victimization has been strongly linked to several negative psychological consequences in both autistic and neurotypical youth, including elevated social anxiety (SA; Storch et al., 2003; Pristein et al., 2001). Receiving prosocial behavior from peers may have a buffering effect on the negative psychological consequences of peer victimization. For example, previous research has linked receiving more prosocial behavior from peers to increased life satisfaction and positive affect across all levels of victimization (Martin & Huebner, 2007). Additionally, receiving prosocial acts may moderate the impact of peer victimization on loneliness (Storch & Masia-Warner, 2003). However, anxious youth report fewer experiences of being treated positively and receiving prosocial behaviors, such as caring and helping behaviors, from peers (Suveg et al., 2014). Moreover, youth who demonstrate more autism symptoms, specifically challenges in social relatedness and communication, are at greater risk of SA and peer victimization (Pickard et al., 2018; Spain et al., 2018). Yet, the potential protective role of receiving prosocial behaviors has been less studied in autistic populations.
Overwhelmingly, prior research on SA and peer victimization, especially in autistic populations, has focused on the parents’ perspective. However, previous literature has revealed discrepancies between parent- and child-report of anxiety and suggests parents may underreport victimization (Storch et al, 2013; van Schalkwyk et al., 2018). This investigation sought to further investigate the degree to which autism symptom severity, victimization, and receipt of prosocial behavior may predict SA, focusing on youth perspectives.

Participants included 167 youth (M=14.0 years, SD=1.96, 49% autistic; 72% male), who reported on their experiences of SA (SAS-A; La Greca, 1998), incidence experiencing victimization in the past month (modified version of the OBVQ; Olweus, 1996), and frequency of receiving prosocial behaviors from peers (SEQ; Crick & Grotpeter, 1996). ASD symptom severity was obtained via parent-report (SRS-2; Constantino & Gruber, 2012).

SA was positively correlated with overall autism symptom severity (r=.173, p<.05) and victimization (r=.399, p<.001), and negatively correlated with receiving prosocial behaviors (r=-.288, p<.001). Hierarchical multiple regression was used to examine the relative contribution of autism symptom severity, victimization, and receiving prosocial acts in predicting SA. Autism symptom severity and victimization predicted higher SA (Table 1). However, receipt of prosocial behavior predicted lower SA, above and beyond autism symptom severity and victimization (Table 1).
Overall, autism symptom severity and victimization play unique roles in predicting higher SA. This suggests interventions designed to address social challenges characteristic of autism spectrum disorder may elicit improvements in SA; however, efforts to reduce school bullying may be especially effective to address the high prevalence of SA in youth. Moreover, receiving prosocial behaviors from peers predicted lower SA, across all levels of autism symptom severity and victimization, suggesting it may play a protective or buffering role against SA. Thus, encouraging and creating opportunities for youth to engage in positive and prosocial peer interactions (ex. in classroom settings) may be an important avenue for reducing SA in youth that warrants greater attention.

Authors

• Britney Jeyanayagam, Montclair State University
  Presenting Author

• Rachel G McDonald

• Mary Isaac Cargill

• Matthew D Lerner, Stony Brook Unviersity

• Erin Kang, Montclair State University