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Phenotypic Overlap Between Core Diagnostic Features and Emotional/Behavioral Problems in Preschool Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

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Abstract

This study examined the phenotypic overlap between core diagnostic features and emotional/behavioral problems in a sample of 335 preschool children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Results from principal component analysis (2 components; 49.70% variance explained) suggested substantial phenotypic overlap between core diagnostic features and emotional/behavioral problems. Component I, Emotional Behavioral Repetitive Problems, was independent of the children’s intellectual, adaptive functioning, and structural language abilities. Component II, Social Communication Deficits, was negatively related to the children’s intellectual, adaptive functioning, and structural language abilities. Both components were positively related to parental stress. This exploratory study contributes to our understanding of the ASD phenotype and provides further support for including emotional/behavioral problems as part of the clinical characterization of children with ASD.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Autism Speaks, the Government of British Columbia, the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, and the Sinneave Family Foundation. The authors thank all the families who participated in the Pathways in ASD study. The authors also acknowledge the members of the Pathways in ASD Study Team. These members had equal contribution to the study and are listed here alphabetically: Liliana Abruzzese, Megan Alexander, Susan Bauld, Terry Bennett, Ainsley Boudreau, Colin Andrew Campbell, Mike Chalupka, Lorna Colli, Melanie Couture, Bev DaSilva, Vikram Dua, Miriam Elfert, Lara El-Khatib, Lindsay Fleming, Kristin Fossum, Nancy Garon, Shareen Holly, Stephanie Jull, Karen Kalynchuk, Kathryne MacLeod, Preetinder Narang, Julianne Noseworthy, Irene O’Connor, Kaori Ohashi, Sarah Peacock, Teri Phillips, Sara Quirke, Katie Rinald, Jennifer Saracino, Cathryn Schroeder, Cody Shepherd, Rebecca Simon, Mandy Steiman, Richard Stock, Benjamin Taylor, Lee Tidmarsh, Larry Tuff, Kathryn Vaillancourt, Stephen Wellington, Isabelle Yun, and Li Hong Zhong.

Conflicts of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Chedoke Site, Patterson Building, 1200 Main St. W, Hamilton, ON, L8N 3Z5, Canada

    Stelios Georgiades, Peter Szatmari, Eric Duku & Ann Thompson

  2. University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Lonnie Zwaigenbaum & Joanne Volden

  3. IWK Health Centre, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada

    Susan Bryson & Isabel Smith

  4. The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Wendy Roberts

  5. McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Eric Fombonne

  6. The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Pat Mirenda

  7. University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada

    Tracy Vaillancourt

  8. Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Charlotte Waddell

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  1. Stelios Georgiades
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  2. Peter Szatmari
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  6. Wendy Roberts
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  9. Isabel Smith
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  10. Tracy Vaillancourt
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  13. Ann Thompson
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Pathways in ASD Study Team

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Correspondence to Peter Szatmari.

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Georgiades, S., Szatmari, P., Duku, E. et al. Phenotypic Overlap Between Core Diagnostic Features and Emotional/Behavioral Problems in Preschool Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 41, 1321–1329 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-010-1158-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-010-1158-9

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