Severity of Autism Symptoms and Degree of Attentional Difficulties Predicts Emotional and Behavioral Problems in Children with High-Functioning Autism; a Two-Year Follow-up Study

Andersen, P.; Hovik, Kjell Tore; Skogli, Erik Winther; Øie, Merete Glenne

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02004

Cited by 19 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…Moreover, also related to recruitment, we recruited a rather homogenous sample, with 73% of children being described as high functioning. Caregivers' psychological well-being has been found to vary according to the functional status of the child, and CPB, which tend to be less frequent in high functioning children, might mediate this effect (Andersen et al, 2017). Findings reported here therefore might not be generalised to caregivers of lower functioning children.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 52%

Exploring the Moderating Role of Benefit Finding on the Relationship Between Child Problematic Behaviours and Psychological Distress in Caregivers of Children with ASD

Lovell

Wetherell

2019

J Autism Dev Disord

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 52%

Exploring the Moderating Role of Benefit Finding on the Relationship Between Child Problematic Behaviours and Psychological Distress in Caregivers of Children with ASD

Lovell

Wetherell

2019

J Autism Dev Disord

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“…As per the broader results, the domain analyses both complement and extend the existing literature in this area. In particular, the bedtime resistance, sleep anxiety, night waking, and parasomnias results align closely with studies that have presented ASD severity (24, 35–38) or accompanying sleep disturbance (23, 25, 27, 29, 33) as key factors influencing problem behavior. They also align closely with studies that have indicated a relationship between severity of sleep disturbance and degree of problem behavior [e.g., Refs.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

“…These findings complement the broader literature in this area and, importantly, offer novel information regarding the complex interaction between ASD symptom severity and accompanying sleep disturbance. Many researchers have previously acknowledged that there is a relationship between ASD symptom severity and problem behavior (24, 35–38), and while our results mirror this argument in individuals with no significant sleep disturbance and milder sleep disturbance, we did not find evidence of this relationship for those with moderate-to-severe sleep disturbance. This revelation is novel and emphasizes that the relationship between ASD symptom severity and problem behavior may be more nuanced than previously described.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 60%

“…Researchers have indicated that those with more severe ASD symptoms are likely to experience significantly more problem behaviors that are also of greater severity than those with moderate or mild ASD symptoms (24, 35–37). There is also longitudinal evidence to suggest that ASD symptom severity is a key predictor of later emotional and behavioral problems in children and adolescents with high-functioning ASD (38). Studies such as these emphasize that ASD severity itself is related to increased problem behavior.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Problem Behavior in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Considering Core Symptom Severity and Accompanying Sleep Disturbance

et al. 2019

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In addition to the core symptoms that define autism spectrum disorder (ASD), many individuals experience broader problem behavior at a level significant enough for families to seek further clinical assessment and intervention. We define “problem behavior” as any significant emotional or behavioral issue captured by the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) including anxiety, depression, withdrawal, somatic complaints, problems with socialization, thought or attention, rule-breaking, and aggression. While greater ASD symptom severity and accompanying sleep disturbance have each been linked with more severe problem behavior, there is little understanding about how these two key factors interact; that is, it is unclear whether the severity and type of sleep disturbance an individual experiences differentially influences the relationship between ASD symptom severity and problem behavior. The aim of the current study was, thus, to explore whether the link between greater ASD symptom severity and clinically elevated problem behavior is moderated by the presence/degree of accompanying sleep disturbance. Forty males with ASD, aged 5–12, participated in the study. The Social Responsiveness Scale, CBCL, and Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire were administered to obtain information about ASD symptom severity, problem behavior, and sleep habits, respectively. Results indicated that the relationship between ASD symptom severity and problem behavior differed among individuals with ASD depending on the degree of sleep disturbance they experienced. Specifically, there was a significant positive relationship between ASD symptom severity and problem behavior for individuals with no sleep disturbance or milder sleep disturbance (i.e., in these cases, individuals with severe ASD symptoms experienced clinically elevated problem behavior, while those with milder ASD symptoms experienced milder problem behavior). In contrast, there was no significant relationship between ASD symptom severity and problem behavior for individuals with moderate-to-severe sleep disturbance; rather, clinically significant problem behavior was apparent across all individuals irrespective of ASD symptom severity. Follow-up analyses indicated that disturbances in sleep duration, disordered breathing, and daytime sleepiness were related to clinically elevated problem behavior even among those with milder ASD symptoms. These findings emphasize the importance of routinely assessing for accompanying sleep disturbance in this population regardless of whether individuals present with mild, moderate, or severe ASD.

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“…Furthermore, given the internalised nature of many traditionally defined symptoms of mood disorder, caregiver-reported symptoms are unlikely to accurately reflect the experiences of the autistic person themselves. For example, concordance between selfand parent-reported mood problems appears to decline across development, as some individuals with autism become more independent (Andersen et al, 2017;Davidsson et al, 2017). Furthermore, caregiver ratings are susceptible to bias based on their own mood (Bitsika & Sharpley, 2016b).…”

Section: Diagnostic Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Autism and mood disorders

Oakley

Loth

Murphy

2021

International Review of Psychiatry

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Individuals with autism experience substantially higher rates of mood problems compared to the general population, which contribute to reduced quality of life and increased mortality through suicide. Here, we reviewed evidence for the clinical presentation, aetiology and therapeutic approaches for mood problems in autism. We identified a lack of validated tools for accurately identifying mood problems in individuals with autism, who may present with 'atypical' features (e.g. severe irritability). Risk factors for mood problems in autism appear to be largely overlapping with those identified in the general population, including shared genetic, environmental, cognitive, physiological/neurobiological mechanisms. However, these mechanisms are exacerbated directly/indirectly by lived experiences of autism, including increased vulnerability for chronic stress-often related to social-communication difficulties(/bullying) and sensory sensitivities. Lastly, current therapeutic approaches are based on recommendations for primary mood disorders, with little reference to the neurobiological/cognitive differences associated with autism. Thus, we recommend: 1) the development and validation of (objective) tools to identify mood problems in autism and measure therapeutic efficacy; 2) an interactive approach to investigating aetiologies in large-scale longitudinal studies, integrating different levels of analysis (e.g. cognitive, neurobiological) and lived experience; 3) testing potential treatments through high-quality (e.g. sufficiently powered, blinded) clinical trials, specifically for individuals with autism.

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Severity of Autism Symptoms and Degree of Attentional Difficulties Predicts Emotional and Behavioral Problems in Children with High-Functioning Autism; a Two-Year Follow-up Study

Cited by 19 publications

References 58 publications

Exploring the Moderating Role of Benefit Finding on the Relationship Between Child Problematic Behaviours and Psychological Distress in Caregivers of Children with ASD

Exploring the Moderating Role of Benefit Finding on the Relationship Between Child Problematic Behaviours and Psychological Distress in Caregivers of Children with ASD

Problem Behavior in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Considering Core Symptom Severity and Accompanying Sleep Disturbance

Autism and mood disorders

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