Co-Occurring Anger in Young People With Asperger’s Syndrome Lake-Hui Quek, ∗ Kate Sofronoff, Jeanie Sheffield, Angela White, and Adrian Kelly The University of Queensland Objectives: The co-occurrence of anger in young people with Asperger’s syndrome (AS) has re- ceived little attention despite aggression, agitation, and tantrums frequently being identified as issues of concern in this population. The present study investigated the occurrence of anger in young peo- ple with AS and explores its relationship with anxiety and depression. Method: Sixty-two young people (12–23 years old) diagnosed with AS were assessed using the Beck Anger Inventory for Youth, Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale, and Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale. Results: Among young people with AS who participated in this study, 41% of participants reported clinically signifi- cant levels of anger (17%), anxiety (25.8%) and/or depression (11.5%). Anger, anxiety, and depression were positively correlated with each other. Depression, however, was the only significant predictor of anger. Conclusion: Anger is commonly experienced by young people with AS and is correlated with anxiety and depression. These findings suggest that the emotional and behavioral presentation of anger could serve as a cue for further assessment, and facilitate earlier identification and intervention for anger, as well as other mental health problems. C  2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Clin. Psychol. 68:1142–1148, 2012. Keywords: Asperger’s syndrome; anger; anxiety; depression; adolescence Asperger’s syndrome (AS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is considered a more functional and intellectually able subgroup of autistic spectrum disorders (Gilchrist et al., 2001; Macintosh & Dissanayake, 2004). Occurring in 43 individuals per 10,000 (Mattila et al., 2007), AS is characterized by social-communication difficulties, along with rigidity in thinking and sensory sensitivities (Attwood, 2007; Dunn, Myles, & Orr, 2002; Gillberg, 1989; South, Ozonoff, & McMahon, 2005). The transition through adolescence is often a difficult period for young people with AS (Hendricks & Wehman, 2009) as they attempt to negotiate their way through a rapidly evolving social world. It is a developmental life stage requiring multifaceted friendship skills, an understanding of the nuances of interpersonal communication, emotional regulation, flexibility, and social problem solving. For many young people with AS, difficulties in these areas are associated with increased likelihood of bullying and social exclusion (Kelly, Garnett, Attwood, & Peterson, 2008; Nordin & Gillberg, 1998), which places them at greater risk of mental health problems compared with their typically developing peers (Mattila et al., 2010; Simonoff et al., 2008). The mental health problems of children and adolescents with AS are reflected by the elevated rates of anxiety and depression, ranging from 13.6% to 42% for anxiety (Farrugia & Hudson, 2006; Kim, Szatmari, Bryson, Streiner, & Wilson, 2000; Mattila et al., 2010) and 15 to 23% for depression (Ghaziuddin, Weidmer-Mikhail, & Ghaziuddin, 1998; Shtayermman, 2008; Tantam, 2000). Heightened levels of anxiety in children with AS commonly present in the form of generalized anxiety disorders, phobias and obsessive-compulsive disorders (Russell & Sofronoff, 2005), while depression often presents as depressed mood, feeling down, and dysphoria (Stewart, Barnard, Pearson, Hasan, & O’Brien, 2006). Co-occurring mental health disorders can also exacerbate the presentation of AS traits, such as increases in ritualistic behaviors and obsessions incorporating more depressive themes (Lainhart, 1999; Lainhart & Folstein, 1994; Russell & Sofronoff, 2005; Tantam, 2000). Please address correspondence to: Lake-Hui Quek, Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research, The University of Queensland, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Herston QLD 4029, Australia. E-mail: lh.quek@uq.edu.au JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY, Vol. 68(10), 1142–1148 (2012) C  2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/jclp). DOI: 10.1002/jclp.21888