Cognitive and behavioral profiles in children with autism spectrum disorder with and without Attention‐Deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Cognitive and behavioral profiles in children with autism spectrum disorder with and without Attention‐Deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Background
Understanding the developmental trajectories of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with and without comorbid ADHD is relevant to tailor care plans. This prospective study assessed, for the first time, cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and learning outcomes in adolescence of children with ASD−ADHD and in those with ASD+ADHD in childhood. Possible predictors of severity of ASD core symptoms in adolescence were also evaluated.
Methods
Forty-five adolescents without intellectual disability, 26 diagnosed in childhood with ASD−ADHD and 19 with ASD+ADHD, were evaluated at baseline (mean age: 8.6 ± 1.3) and at 5-year follow-up (mean age: 12.9 ± 0.9). Parents and teachers completed questionnaires on executive functions, theory of mind (ToM), emotional/behavioral difficulties (EBD), and learning style at both time points..
Results
Overall different developmental trajectories for the two groups were found. In general, deficits in metacognition processes, ToM skills, EBD, and learning abilities were more pronounced in the ASD+ group. Over time, the ASD+ADHD group, but not the ASD−ADHD, tended to improve in EBD and metacognition but their level of development continued to be lower compared with ASD+ADHD. EBD in childhood were significant predictors of autism core symptoms of adolescents.
Conclusions
Our findings highlight the importance of an early identification of comorbid ADHD symptoms in ASD to offer treatment strategies based on specific developmental trajectories.
ADHD, Autism, behavioral and emotional problems, executive functions, longitudinal, theory of mind
Rosello, Rocio
98f07c97-cc3f-473b-9efa-842fc3cd0cb9
Martinez‐raga, Jose
d10636b2-c4e8-4b05-96b9-acde6d8f3b73
Tomas, Jose Manuel
78cd5664-9aac-4d1a-896d-45ec3e123671
Mira, Alvaro
5e386330-a964-4455-8445-e799be94709d
Cortese, Samuele
53d4bf2c-4e0e-4c77-9385-218350560fdb
Rosello, Rocio
98f07c97-cc3f-473b-9efa-842fc3cd0cb9
Martinez‐raga, Jose
d10636b2-c4e8-4b05-96b9-acde6d8f3b73
Tomas, Jose Manuel
78cd5664-9aac-4d1a-896d-45ec3e123671
Mira, Alvaro
5e386330-a964-4455-8445-e799be94709d
Cortese, Samuele
53d4bf2c-4e0e-4c77-9385-218350560fdb
Rosello, Rocio, Martinez‐raga, Jose, Tomas, Jose Manuel, Mira, Alvaro and Cortese, Samuele
(2022)
Cognitive and behavioral profiles in children with autism spectrum disorder with and without Attention‐Deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
Child and Adolescent Mental Health.
(doi:10.1111/camh.12562).
Abstract
Background
Understanding the developmental trajectories of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with and without comorbid ADHD is relevant to tailor care plans. This prospective study assessed, for the first time, cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and learning outcomes in adolescence of children with ASD−ADHD and in those with ASD+ADHD in childhood. Possible predictors of severity of ASD core symptoms in adolescence were also evaluated.
Methods
Forty-five adolescents without intellectual disability, 26 diagnosed in childhood with ASD−ADHD and 19 with ASD+ADHD, were evaluated at baseline (mean age: 8.6 ± 1.3) and at 5-year follow-up (mean age: 12.9 ± 0.9). Parents and teachers completed questionnaires on executive functions, theory of mind (ToM), emotional/behavioral difficulties (EBD), and learning style at both time points..
Results
Overall different developmental trajectories for the two groups were found. In general, deficits in metacognition processes, ToM skills, EBD, and learning abilities were more pronounced in the ASD+ group. Over time, the ASD+ADHD group, but not the ASD−ADHD, tended to improve in EBD and metacognition but their level of development continued to be lower compared with ASD+ADHD. EBD in childhood were significant predictors of autism core symptoms of adolescents.
Conclusions
Our findings highlight the importance of an early identification of comorbid ADHD symptoms in ASD to offer treatment strategies based on specific developmental trajectories.
Text
Cognitive and behavioral profiles in children with autism spectrum disorder with and without Attention-Deficit/hyperactivity disorder
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Child Adoles Ment Health - 2022 - Rosello - Cognitive and behavioral profiles in children with autism spectrum disorder (1)
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More information
Accepted/In Press date: 23 February 2022
e-pub ahead of print date: 19 April 2022
Additional Information:
Funding Information:
This study was supported by grants from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation project and by Generalitat Valenciana. RR is recipient of an Alicia Koplowitz Foundation Fellowship. The authors have declared that they have no competing or potential conflicts of interest.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.
Keywords:
ADHD, Autism, behavioral and emotional problems, executive functions, longitudinal, theory of mind
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 457613
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/457613
ISSN: 1475-357X
PURE UUID: 5c407d5a-e486-4d83-b6ef-53ebe55bf775
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 14 Jun 2022 16:39
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 07:19
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Contributors
Author:
Rocio Rosello
Author:
Jose Martinez‐raga
Author:
Jose Manuel Tomas
Author:
Alvaro Mira
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