Predictors of psychiatric symptoms in children with an autism spectrum disorder.
ADHD, anxiety, aggression, and depression each ride their own track in kids with autism, so screen and treat them one by one.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The researchers looked at what predicts ADHD, aggression, anxiety, and depression in children with autism.
They used surveys and interviews to map each problem area.
The goal was to see if each psychiatric symptom has its own risk pattern.
What they found
Each symptom cluster had a different set of predictors.
For example, ADHD links to trouble at school, while anxiety ties to social worries.
Knowing the pattern helps you plan the right support for each child.
How this fits with other research
Reus et al. (2013) later showed that ADHD can inflate parent-report ASD severity scores.
Hanson et al. (2013) found that when both parent and teacher agree, only 2% of kids with ASD meet ADHD cutoff, much lower than single-informant rates.
These papers seem to disagree, but the gap comes from who fills out the form.
McGonigle et al. (2014) added that high ADHD symptoms in preschoolers with ASD also boost depressive and somatic complaints, backing the idea that ADHD is a key driver.
Why it matters
You can’t treat “autism plus behavior” as one blob. Screen for each symptom cluster separately. Use both parent and teacher data before labeling ADHD. Plan different supports for anxiety, aggression, or ADHD. This cuts trial-and-error and gets help to the child faster.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Add a brief parent and teacher ADHD screener to your intake packet before you interpret any ASD severity scale.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
This study examined mental health risk/protective factors for DSM-IV psychiatric symptoms in children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their contribution to functioning separate from ASD symptom severity. Mothers/teachers completed measures of risk/protection and social, adaptive, and school functioning in 6- to 12-year-olds with a diagnosed ASD (N = 238). Bivariate correlations and simultaneous regression analyses indicated a unique pattern of predictors for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, aggression, anxiety, and depression symptoms. Moreover, psychiatric symptoms differentially predicted social and school performance. Findings indicate that co-occurring psychiatric symptoms and their associated mental health risk/protective factors may have important clinical implications and generally support a biopsychosocial model of psychopathology in children with an ASD that appears to share many similarities with models for non ASD children.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2008 · doi:10.1007/s10803-008-0556-8