Underlying Mechanisms of Presentation Anxiety in Adolescents with Mild to  Borderline Intellectual Disability

The present study investigated possible underlying mechanisms of presentation anxiety in adolescents with a mild to borderline intellectual disability. Presentation anxiety was measured through self-reports and teacher-reports. Due to disagreements on whether presentation anxiety exists independently from, or as a subtype of, social anxiety, the present study investigated both anxiety-types separately. Participants were 14 adolescents with MBID in the age of 12-23 who completed abbreviated intelligence measures and questionnaires on the underlying mechanisms. Results showed neither a correlation nor a difference between self- and teacher-reported presentation anxiety. Moreover, self-reported presentation anxiety was positively correlated with social anxiety and negative interpretation bias, whereas teacher-reported presentation anxiety was not correlated with any of the variables. Hierarchical regression analyses controlling for IQ showed that peer attachment was a significant...Show moreThe present study investigated possible underlying mechanisms of presentation anxiety in adolescents with a mild to borderline intellectual disability. Presentation anxiety was measured through self-reports and teacher-reports. Due to disagreements on whether presentation anxiety exists independently from, or as a subtype of, social anxiety, the present study investigated both anxiety-types separately. Participants were 14 adolescents with MBID in the age of 12-23 who completed abbreviated intelligence measures and questionnaires on the underlying mechanisms. Results showed neither a correlation nor a difference between self- and teacher-reported presentation anxiety. Moreover, self-reported presentation anxiety was positively correlated with social anxiety and negative interpretation bias, whereas teacher-reported presentation anxiety was not correlated with any of the variables. Hierarchical regression analyses controlling for IQ showed that peer attachment was a significant predictor for self-reported presentation anxiety and social anxiety. It is concluded that peers play an important role in the development of presentation anxiety in MBID adolescents and should therefore be a point of attention for schools, caregivers and treatments. Future studies should focus on including a larger sample and should consider including peer-reports.Show less

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Underlying Mechanisms of Presentation Anxiety in Adolescents with Mild to Borderline Intellectual Disability