Incorporating autism symptoms into a transdiagnostic model of anxiety and depression symptoms results in an improved model and distinct factor structure for autistic youth

Abstract The present study examined the extent to which autism symptoms relate to anxiety, depression, and AD + in autistic youth. Anxiety and depression symptoms were measured using a DSM rating scale. A CFA of the DSM model of anxiety and depression symptoms showed inadequate fit. An EFA of anxiety, depression symptoms supported a model with three factors: Anxiety and Depression, Social Anxiety, and Autism. A subset of autism symptoms loaded onto the anxiety and depression symptom factors. Both the DSM and the EFA model had inadequate fit indices, though the EFA showed better fit over the DSM model. In addition, previous research converges with the obtained EFA factors. Taken together, while further research is needed to determine how to best model these symptoms, the present findings can be used to inform future factor analytic studies and subsequent conceptualizations of anxiety, depression, and ASD symptoms.