The interaction of Matrix Reasoning and Social Motivation as predictors of Separation Anxiety in boys with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Background: It has been suggested that higher cognitive functioning based in the pre-frontal cortex is implicated in the ability of people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to understand and communicate in social situations. Low motivation to engage in social interaction may also be influential in this process. Although both of these factors have been argued to influence the levels of comorbid anxiety in young people with ASD, no detailed examination of those relationships has been reported to date. Methods: A sample of 90 boys with ASD (aged 6 to 12 yr) and 29 of their non-ASD peers, matched for age and IQ, completed tests of cognitive function and anxiety. Results: Only one form of anxiety – fear of being separated from their parents – was significantly associated with cognitive function, at the Full Scale IQ and Matrix Reasoning levels, plus motivation to engage in social interactions, and only for the ASD boys. Conclusion: These data represent a complex interaction between the neurobiological aspects of ASD, fluid reasoning, social motivation, and Separation Anxiety in boys with ASD. As such, they bring a new perspective to understanding and treating anxious behaviour in these boys.