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Elevated Autism Spectrum Disorder Traits in Young Children with OCD

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Abstract

Studies have shown a high prevalence of autistic spectrum traits in both children and adults with psychiatric disorders; however the prevalence rate has not yet been investigated in young children with OCD. The aim of the current study was to (1) determine whether ASD traits indicated by the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) and the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) were elevated in young children with OCD who do not have a specific ASD diagnosis and (2) determine if ASD traits were associated with OCD severity. Participants (N = 127) were children ages 5–8 years enrolled in the pediatric obsessive–compulsive disorder treatment study for young children (POTS Jr.). Results indicated that the SRS showed elevated autistic traits in the sample and was associated with OCD severity whereas the SCQ did not indicate heightened ASD symptoms. Implications of these results are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University Medical School, Providence, RI, USA

    Elyse Stewart, Jennifer Freeman, Brianna Wellen & Abbe Garcia

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA

    Mary Kathryn Cancilliere

  3. Duke Child and Family Study Center, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA

    Jeffrey Sapyta

  4. Child and Adolescent OCD, Tic, Trich, and Anxiety Group, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Martin Franklin

  5. The Pediatric Anxiety Research Center, Bradley Hospital, 1011 Veterans Memorial Pkwy, East Providence, RI, 02915, USA

    Elyse Stewart

Authors
  1. Elyse Stewart
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  2. Mary Kathryn Cancilliere
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  3. Jennifer Freeman
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  4. Brianna Wellen
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  5. Abbe Garcia
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  6. Jeffrey Sapyta
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  7. Martin Franklin
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Correspondence to Elyse Stewart.

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Stewart, E., Cancilliere, M.K., Freeman, J. et al. Elevated Autism Spectrum Disorder Traits in Young Children with OCD. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 47, 993–1001 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-016-0629-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-016-0629-4

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