Limited research has examined how anxiety affects the quality of life (QoL) of autistic individuals and their family. In this mixed-method study, we investigated the impact of anxiety symptoms on the lives of autistic children and family members, and the association between anxiety symptom severity, child QoL, family QoL, and caregiver stress. Twenty autistic youth with clinically significant anxiety aged 8–14 years of age and their caregivers completed questionnaires and in-depth interviews. Twenty themes emerged to highlight how anxiety significantly impacts autistic children and their families across various areas of life. Higher levels of anxiety were associated with lower child QoL. Implications for providing appropriate, evidence-based services to support families and promote positive QoL are discussed.

有限的研究检查了焦虑如何影响自闭症患者及其家人的生活质量 (QoL)。在这项混合方法研究中，我们调查了焦虑症状对自闭症儿童和家庭成员生活的影响，以及焦虑症状严重程度、儿童生活质量、家庭生活质量和照顾者压力之间的关系。20 名 8-14 岁有临床显着焦虑的自闭症青年及其照顾者完成了问卷调查和深入访谈。出现了 20 个主题，以突出焦虑如何显着影响自闭症儿童及其家庭在生活的各个领域。较高的焦虑水平与较低的儿童生活质量相关。讨论了提供适当的、基于证据的服务以支持家庭和促进积极的生活质量的影响。