Abstract
We examined to what extent increased parent reports of autistic traits in some children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are the result of ADHD-related symptoms or qualitatively similar to the core characteristics of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Results confirm the presence of a subgroup of children with ADHD and elevated ratings of core ASD traits (ADHD+) not accounted for by ADHD or behavioral symptoms. Further, analyses revealed greater oppositional behaviors, but not greater ADHD severity or anxiety, in the ADHD+ subgroup compared to those with ADHD only. These results highlight the importance of specifically examining autistic traits in children with ADHD for better characterization in studies of the underlying physiopathology and treatment.
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Acknowledgments
This work was partly supported by grants from NARSAD and NIMH (K23MH087770) awarded to Adriana Di Martino and to F. Xavier Castellanos by NICHD (R01HD065282), Autism Speaks, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, the Leon Levy Foundation, and the Alicia Koplowitz Foundation. The authors wish to thank three anonymous clinicians at the University of Michigan Autism and Communication Disorders Center for graciously providing their SRS item classification, Dylan Gee, B.A., for helping in data collection, Sherine Khalil, M.P.A., for her dedicated work on research administration, and Amy Krain Roy, Ph.D., for helpful suggestions on an earlier version of this manuscript. Most of all the authors want to express their sincere gratitude to the parents and their children who have dedicated their time and commitment to this research.
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Grzadzinski, R., Di Martino, A., Brady, E. et al. Examining Autistic Traits in Children with ADHD: Does the Autism Spectrum Extend to ADHD?. J Autism Dev Disord 41, 1178–1191 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-010-1135-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-010-1135-3