Family report of ASD concomitant with depression or anxiety among US children.

Matson et al. (2011) phoned 63,000 U.S. families. They asked parents of kids with autism if a doctor had ever said the child also has depression or anxiety.

The survey covered children . Parents also rated worries about self-esteem, school work, and bullying.

Four out of ten parents (a large share) said yes, my child with autism also has depression or anxiety.

The same parents worried most about low self-esteem, poor grades, and being bullied.

Lai et al. (2015) asked the next logical question: how are the parents doing? They found moms and dads of kids with autism report much higher stress and depression than other parents. The child number (a large share) and the parent number line up, showing the whole family feels the weight.

van Schalkwyk et al. (2018) zoomed in on bullying. They let high-functioning teens speak for themselves. Half said they had been bullied recently, and those kids also scored high on social anxiety. This tightens the link L et al. only hinted at.

Nah et al. (2018) repeated the a large share figure, but in adults. Their autistic clients scored in the moderate-to-severe range on quick anxiety and depression screens. The rate stays the same across the lifespan, so screening should never stop.

If you write behavior plans for kids with autism, add a mood check. Ask the parent, "Has a doctor ever said depression or anxiety?" If yes, weave self-esteem and social safety goals into the plan. Track bullying, teach coping statements, and coordinate with a counselor. A 2-minute mood screen at intake can save months of slow progress later.