Kim Tureck

Rates of comorbid symptoms in children with ASD, ADHD, and comorbid ASD and ADHD

The current diagnostic criteria do not allow co-diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). As a result, there has been little research on how these two disorders co-occur in the ASD population. The current study aimed to extend the literature in this area by examining comorbid rates in three different diagnostic groups (ASD, ADHD, and comorbid ASD+ADHD) using the Autism Spectrum Disorders-Comorbidity for Children (ASD-CC). Children with comorbid ASD and ADHD evinced higher rates of comorbid symptoms than children with ASD or ADHD alone. Additionally, children with comorbid ASD and ADHD endorsed more severe comorbid symptoms. Implications regarding these findings are discussed.

A comparison of tantrum behavior profiles in children with ASD, ADHD and comorbid ASD and ADHD.

The present study was conducted to compare rates of tantrum behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) (n=255), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (n=40) and children with comorbid ASD and ADHD (n=47). Parents/guardians of children aged 3-16 years were surveyed about their childrens behaviors using the Autism Spectrum Disorders-Comorbidity for Children (ASD-C-C). Children with ADHD alone differed from children with ASD alone and children with comorbid ASD and ADHD on rates of tantrum behaviors. Examination of individual tantrum behavior items indicated that children with comorbid ASD and ADHD have a more similar symptom presentation to children with ASD than children with ADHD. This study adds to the literature on the presentation of common co-occurring behaviors of ASD when there is comorbid ADHD. The implications of these findings may aid in the assessment and treatment of tantrum behaviors in children with comorbid ASD and ADHD.

Externalizing and tantrum behaviours in children with ASD and ADHD compared to children with ADHD

Objective: Compare rates of externalizing in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms to children with ADHD. Method: Parents/caregivers of 85 children with ASD and/or ADHD were surveyed about their childrens behaviours using the Autism Spectrum Disorders-Comorbidity for Children and the Autism Spectrum Disorders-Behaviour Problem for Children. Results: Specific main effects analyses were then conducted. Children with ASD exhibited a higher number of externalizing (F(1, 83) = 83.34, p < 0.001) and tantrum behaviours (F(1,83) = 781.86, p < 0.001) than children without ASD. Conclusions: ASD exacerbates the externalizing symptoms of ADHD during childhood. This study adds to the literature on the importance of assessing for a wide-range of possible behaviour problems in children presenting with ADHD symptomatology. The implications of these findings are discussed in the context of other research.

An examination of the relationship between autism spectrum disorder, intellectual functioning, and comorbid symptoms in children

There is a deficiency of research looking at how rates of comorbid psychopathology are effected by autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual functioning level. The present study aimed to extend the literature in this area by evaluating how ASD and IQ scores are related to ratings on a measure of comorbid symptoms. Twenty-three children with ASD and 87 children without ASD participated in this study. Rates of tantrum behavior, avoidant behavior, worry/depressed, repetitive behavior, under-eating, over-eating, and conduct behavior were examined utilizing the Autism Spectrum Disorders-Comorbidity for Children (ASD-CC). Correlational and multiple regression analyses were then conducted. ASD diagnosis significantly predicted rates of tantrum behavior, avoidant behavior, and repetitive behavior. Children with ASD tended to have higher rates of all three of these comorbid symptoms than children without ASD. Although not statistically significant, there was a negative correlation between IQ and rates of comorbid symptoms, such that children with higher IQ scores tended to have lower rates of comorbid symptoms. The implications of these findings on assessment and intervention are discussed.

An investigation of self-injurious behaviors in adults with severe intellectual disabilities.

Self-injurious behavior (SIB) is commonly observed among individuals with intellectual disability (ID) living in state-run supports and services centers. Specific examples of SIB include poking oneself in the eye; harming oneself by hitting, scratching, or pinching; and pica (i.e., swallowing objects causing bodily harm). Previous research has focused on SIB in individuals with ID more generally without focusing on specific levels of ID or taking into account other important personal variables. This study examined 45 adults with severe ID living in two large state-run facilities in the Southeastern United States who were separated into groups for comparison (ASD and non ASD; verbal and nonverbal). Data was collected on the presence of SIB using the Autism Spectrum Disorder-Problem Behavior Adult Version (ASD-PBA). A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to determine if there were significant differences between groups on rates of SIB. Individuals with ID and ASD exhibited significantly higher rates of SIB than individuals with only ID, F (1,43)=50.84, p<0.05. Furthermore, verbal individuals had significantly higher rates of SIB than nonverbal individuals, F (1,43)=57.612, p<0.05. There was a significant interaction between the effects of ASD diagnosis and verbal ability on rates of SIB, F (1,43)=50.84, p<0.05. The implications of these findings in the context of other research on ID, ASD, SIB, and verbal abilities are discussed.

Autism severity as a predictor of inattention and impulsivity in toddlers

Abstract Objective: Evaluate how severity of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms predicts attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in atypically developing toddlers. Method: Parents/caregivers of 2300 atypically developing toddlers’ ages 18–37 months were assessed about their children’s behaviours using the Baby and Infant Screen for Children with aUtIsm Traits (BISCUIT) Part 1 and the inattention/impulsivity subscale of the BISCUIT-Part 2. Results: ASD symptom severity was positively and significantly correlated with inattention/impulsivity, indicating that children with more severe symptoms of ASD tended to have higher scores on the measure of inattention/impulsivity, R2 = 0.49, F (1, 2298) = 2234.72, p < 0.001. Additionally, ASD symptom severity significantly predicted inattention/impulsivity, β = 0.70, t (2298) = 47.27, p < 0.001. Conclusions: ASD symptom severity predicts rates of ADHD symptoms in atypically developing toddlers. The implications of these findings are discussed in the context of other research.