Abstract

People with intellectual disabilities are at a higher risk of experiencing anxiety than the general population; however, this relationship is complex and not yet fully understood. The aim of this study was to map and evaluate, from a bibliometric perspective, the scientific production related to anxiety and intellectual disabilities. The Web of Science database was used, along with search terms related to the study theme validated by Medical Subject Headings. The findings reveal an annual growth rate of 5.41% in publications, with the highest production year being 2019. The majority of the documents were research articles and review articles. The United Kingdom emerged as the leading country in terms of authorship frequency, while the Journal of Intellectual Disability Research proved to be the most active journal, and Lund University was the leading institution. The VOSviewer clustering algorithm was employed for keyword analysis, identifying mental health, comorbidity, social anxiety, autism spectrum disorders, high functioning autism, intervention, and psychotherapy as emerging and current research trends. The main collaboration networks were found in Europe and Anglophone countries. These findings can serve as a foundation to understand the structure of the literature and promote collaborations, as well as to identify emerging trends in research on anxiety and intellectual disability.