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Supporting the Spectrum Hypothesis: Self-Reported Temperament in Children and Adolescents with High Functioning Autism

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Abstract

This study tested the spectrum hypothesis, which posits that children and adolescents with high functioning autism (HFA) differ quantitatively but not qualitatively from typically developing peers on self-reported temperament. Temperament refers to early-appearing, relatively stable behavioral and emotional tendencies, which relate to maladaptive behaviors across clinical populations. Quantitatively, participants with HFA (N = 104, aged 10–16) self-reported less surgency and more negative affect but did not differ from comparison participants (N = 94, aged 10–16) on effortful control or affiliation. Qualitatively, groups demonstrated comparable reliability of self-reported temperament and associations between temperament and parent-reported behavior problems. These findings support the spectrum hypothesis, highlighting the utility of self-report temperament measures for understanding individual differences in comorbid behavior problems among children and adolescents with HFA.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the National Institutes of Health, Grant R01 MH71273 (Motivation, Self-Monitoring, & Family Process in Autism; PIs Henderson & Mundy); the University of Miami: General Research Support Award (PI Henderson) & Provost Research Award (PI Henderson); and the Marino Autism Research Institute.

Author Contributions

CB conceived of and executed Study 2, performed the statistical analyses, and drafted the manuscript; LU conceived of and executed Study 2, and helped to draft the manuscript; CS conceived of and executed Study 1, and helped to draft the manuscript; PM conceived of Study 1, and helped to draft the manuscript; and HH conceived of Study 1 and 2, and helped to draft the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA

    Catherine A. Burrows & Lauren V. Usher

  2. Yale Child Study Center, New Haven, CT, USA

    Caley B. Schwartz

  3. UC-Davis MIND Institute, Sacramento, CA, USA

    Peter C. Mundy

  4. Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada

    Heather A. Henderson

Authors
  1. Catherine A. Burrows
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  2. Lauren V. Usher
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  3. Caley B. Schwartz
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  4. Peter C. Mundy
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  5. Heather A. Henderson
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Correspondence to Heather A. Henderson.

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Burrows, C.A., Usher, L.V., Schwartz, C.B. et al. Supporting the Spectrum Hypothesis: Self-Reported Temperament in Children and Adolescents with High Functioning Autism. J Autism Dev Disord 46, 1184–1195 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-015-2653-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-015-2653-9

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