Many studies indicate a high prevalence of psychiatric disorders in adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). More uncertain is the data with respect to children. Doctors Skokauskas and Gallagher of the Department of Psychiatry of the Trinity College Dublin have found a particularly high rate of anxiety disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The researchers used the CBCL (Child Behavior Checklist) to interview 67 children with ASD, diagnosed using the ADI-R (Autism Diagnostic Interview - Revised) and the ADOS (Autism Diagnostic Observational Schedule), and 67 children without ASD. The two groups did not differ significantly by age, sex, parental age and average level of IQ (Intelligence Quotient). The distress felt by parents of children in both groups was measured by filling the BSI (Brief Symptom Inventory). The CBCL consists of 118 items describing behavioral or emotional problems, and 2 items open for any additional problems. The items are grouped into two scales related to internalizing and externalizing problems, total problems score is given instead of the sum of the scores of items related to emotional problems, anxiety, somatic, attention/hyperactivity deficit, oppositional and provocative of conduct. Children with DSA showed a higher proportion of internalizing disorders compared to controls, but above all they have achieved significantly higher scores in all areas syndromic. Values of clinical interest have been achieved for anxiety, depression and ADHD. BSI scores indicative of the presence of a psychopathological disorder were met by a similar number of mothers in both groups (approximately 24%), while the percentage of fathers was higher in children with ASD (22.4% versus 17, 9). The results of this epidemiological survey confirm the high prevalence rates of psychiatric disorders in children with ASD detected by the Skokauskas and Gallagher in 2010 in a systematic review of the literature: from 0 to 6% for schizophrenia, 5 to 50% for disorders 'mood, from 5 to 35% for generalized anxiety disorder, 10 to 64% for simple phobia and from 1 to 37% for obsessive-compulsive disorder.
This article has been translated and adapted to English (American) by Courtney Diamond
REFERENCES
Skokauskas N. and Gallagher L. Mental health aspects of autistic spectrum disorders in children. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 2012; 56(3): 248-257.
Skokauskas N. and Gallagher L. Psychosis, affective disorders and anxiety in ASD: prevalence and nosological considerations. Psychopathology: International Journal of Descriptive and Experimental Psychopathology, Phenomenology and Psychiatric Diagnosis, 2010; 43: 8-16.