Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) in autism spectrum disorder

Abstract

The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the research on AttentionDeficit/Hyperactivity (AD/HD) in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Topics explored are the prevalence of AD/HD, the importance of studying AD/HD, as well as the questionnaire measures used to measure AD/HD in individuals with ASD. Research on the relationship between AD/HD in ASD and parental stress and psychological distress, developmental regression, language and communication, adaptive behavior, social skills, autism severity, challenging behavior, comorbid psychopathology, gastrointestinal symptoms, sleep problems, epilepsy, sensory issues, motor difficulties, and quality of life are also discussed. Research on cardiac reactivity and executive functioning are also explored.Finally, recommendations for treatment are given as well as areas where future research is needed.

Relationships among gastrointestinal symptoms, sleep problems, challenging behaviour, comorbid psychopathology and autism spectrum disorder symptoms in children and adolescents with 15q duplication syndrome

“…Common comorbidities in ASD include gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, sleep problems, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD), epilepsy, anxiety, toileting problems, feeding problems, emotional and behavioural problems, selfinjury, aggression and tantrum behaviour (Devlin et al 2008;Mannion & Leader 2013, 2014a, 2014bMaskey et al 2013;Leader & Mannion 2016a;Francis et al 2017;Leader et al 2020). Research has identified comorbidities in other rare genetic conditions such as fragile X syndrome (Newman et al 2015).…”

Differentiating Autism Spectrum Disorder From ADHD Using the Social Communication Questionnaire

“…Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and ADHD are both childhood neurodevelopmental conditions that share common features including social interaction deficits, emotion regulation difficulties, and behavior concerns (for review, see Mannion & Leader, 2014; Matson, Rieske, & Williams, 2013). When a child displays several of these concerns, both ASD and ADHD are possible options for explaining the child’s presentation.…”

Parenting Stress in Families of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and ADHD

“…In contrast, ADHD is characterized by greater manifestations of inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity than what would be expected for the individual's developmental level. However, these two disorders also share various characteristics (see Mannion & Leader, 2014): Their diagnoses are based on behavioral symptoms (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013); they both involve the presence of communication and attention problems (Hattori et al…”

“…In contrast, ADHD is characterized by greater manifestations of inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity than what would be expected for the individual’s developmental level. However, these two disorders also share various characteristics (see Mannion & Leader, 2014): Their diagnoses are based on behavioral symptoms (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013); they both involve the presence of communication and attention problems (Hattori et al, 2006; Martin, Hamshere, O’Donovan, Rutter, & Thapar, 2014), deficits in social skills (Demopoulos, Hopkins, & Davis, 2013), and difficulties in some aspects of executive functioning (Miranda-Casas, Baixauli-Fortea, Colomer-Diago, & Roselló-Miranda, 2013; Yerys et al, 2009); and there even seems to be some overlap in their genetic origin (Rommelse, Franke, Geurts, Hartman, & Buitelaar, 2010; Ronald, Simonoff, Kuntsi, Asherson, & Plomin, 2008).…”