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Adaptive Behavior Function in Autism: Association with ADHD and ASD Symptoms

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Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are associated with adaptive function impairments. This study measured adaptive functioning in a sample of 92 children with ASD, including 80 children with co-occurring ADHD. Regression models examined whether ASD and ADHD symptom severity were associated with adaptive functioning level relative to same-age peers (standard scores). ASD severity predicted weaker overall adaptive functioning, relative to peers; ASD and ADHD severity each independently predicted weaker adaptive function in Socialization. Thus, severity of ADHD in children with ASD is associated with greater adaptive deficits than what would be expected on the basis of ASD severity alone. In contrast, ADHD was not significantly related to greater deficits in other adaptive domains, above and beyond that associated with ASD. Clinicians should be aware that ADHD confers additional developmental risk in the area of socialization in children with ASD, and that treatment plans should be designed accordingly.

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Funding

This study was funded by grant number MH072263 from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, 77030, USA

    Anthony R. Ward, Mercedes Pratt, Katherine A. Loveland, Rosleen Mansour & Deborah A. Pearson

  2. Rice University, Houston, TX, 77005, USA

    David M. Lane

  3. Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA

    Michael G. Aman

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  1. Anthony R. Ward
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  2. Mercedes Pratt
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  3. David M. Lane
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  5. Katherine A. Loveland
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  7. Deborah A. Pearson
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Correspondence to Deborah A. Pearson.

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Conflicts of Interest

Dr. Deborah Pearson has received travel reimbursement and research support from Curemark LLC; research support from Biomarin and Novartis, and has served as a consultant to Curemark LLC. Ms. Rosleen Mansour has received research support from Curemark LLC. Dr. Michael Aman has consulted with or served on advisory boards for Impel Neuropharm, Ovid Therapeutics, PaxMedica Biopharmaceutical, Supernus Pharmaceuticals, and Zynerba Pharmaceuticals. He receives royalties from Slosson Educational Publications. The other authors report no biomedical financial interests or potential conflicts of interest.

Ethics Approval

All research procedures were approved by the Institutional Review Board for human subject research at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and conformed to the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (American Psychological Association, 2002) and with the ethical standards laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki (and its later amendments and comparable ethical standards).

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Ward, A.R., Pratt, M., Lane, D.M. et al. Adaptive Behavior Function in Autism: Association with ADHD and ASD Symptoms. J Dev Phys Disabil 34, 919–935 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-021-09831-8

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