Cognitive errors, anxiety sensitivity, and anxiety control beliefs: their unique and specific associations with childhood anxiety symptoms.

Ruser et al. (2007) asked kids to fill out three short surveys. One asked about anxious thoughts like "I always expect the worst." One asked how scary it feels when your heart beats fast. One asked if you believe you can calm yourself down.

The team then looked at how each survey linked to anxiety and depression scores.

All three measures predicted anxiety, but each added its own slice of information. Kids who jumped to scary conclusions, feared body cues, and doubted their own ability to cope had higher anxiety.

The three measures were less tied to depression, so they give you anxiety-specific clues.

MacLennan et al. (2021) and Hwang et al. (2020) move the same idea into autism. They show that sensory over-responsivity and intolerance of uncertainty predict anxiety in autistic preschoolers and adults. This widens the lens from "cognitive errors" to include sensory and uncertainty factors.

Uljarević et al. (2018) found the same uncertainty-plus-sensory pattern in adults with Williams syndrome, giving a conceptual replication outside autism.

Sutton et al. (2022) add emotion dysregulation as a bridge between uncertainty and anxiety in autistic youth. Together these papers build a chain: cognitive beliefs matter in all kids, while sensory issues and emotion skills are key add-ons in developmental disabilities.

When a parent says "My child worries all the time," do not stop at a broad anxiety checklist. Add quick measures of cognitive errors, anxiety sensitivity, and perceived control. If the child is autistic or has sensory issues, also screen sensory reactivity and intolerance of uncertainty. These extra five minutes give you clearer treatment targets and show you whether to add coping-skills training, sensory supports, or uncertainty exposure.