Samenvatting

Background Anxiety and challenging behaviour
(CB) often occur simultaneously in people with
intellectual disabilities (ID). Understanding the
associations between anxiety and CB may contribute
to more accurate diagnoses and management of
both anxiety and CB in this population.
Aims To examine the relationship between anxiety
and CB.
Methods A literature review covering the period
from January 2000 to January 2012.
Results Seven studies about the relationship
between psychiatric disorders, including anxiety,
and CB were identified. These studies confirm the
relationship between anxiety and CB in people with
ID, although the precise nature of this relationship
remains unclear.
Conclusions The study points toward the existence
of a moderate association between anxiety and CB.
Further research is needed to clarify the complex
nature of the association between anxiety and CB.