Autistic traits linked to anxiety and dichotomous thinking: sensory sensitivity and intolerance of uncertainty as mediators in non-clinical population

A recent theoretical cognitive model posits that three cognitive constructs—intolerance of uncertainty, lack of predictive processing, and dichotomous thinking—may interact with anxiety in autistic individuals. However, the interrelationships among these constructs remain unclear. We investigated this relationship in a non-clinical population using five questionnaires (Autism Spectrum Quotient, Glasgow Sensory Questionnaire, Short Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale, Penn State Worry Questionnaire, and Dichotomous Thinking Inventory) and conducted a path analysis. Data were collected from 405 adults (aged 20–22 years) in Experiment 1 and 628 (aged 20–49 years) in Experiment 2. In both experiments, autistic traits were significantly associated with both anxiety and dichotomous thinking, mediated by intolerance of uncertainty. Autistic traits were linked to intolerance of uncertainty, mediated by atypical sensory processing. Furthermore, autistic traits were directly associated with anxiety. No direct association was observed between anxiety and dichotomous thinking. Our results confirm the validity of Stark’s cognitive model in a non-clinical population. These findings provide new insights into anxiety and dichotomous thinking and shed light on the cognitive styles of autistic individuals.