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Anxiety Symptoms in Boys with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or Chronic Multiple Tic Disorder and Community Controls

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Abstract

We compared symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and separation anxiety disorder (SAD) in 5 groups of boys with neurobehavioral syndromes: attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) plus autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD plus chronic multiple tic disorder (CMTD), ASD only, ADHD only, and community Controls. Anxiety symptoms were assessed using parent and teacher versions of a DSM-IV-referenced rating scale. All three groups of boys with co-morbid ADHD evidenced more severe anxiety than Controls. Group differences in anxiety varied as a function of symptom, disorder, informant, and co-morbidity supporting the notion that co-morbid neurobehavioral syndromes differentially impact clinical features of co-occurring anxiety symptoms. Findings also suggest that GAD and SAD are phenomenologically unique, even in children with ASD. Implications for nosology are discussed.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported, in part, by grants awarded to Dr. Gadow from the Tourette Syndrome Association, Inc., National Institute of Mental Health (MH 45358), and the Matt and Debra Cody Center for Autism and Developmental Disorders. The authors wish to thank Dr. John Pomeroy, Dr. Joyce Sprafkin, and Dr. Jeff Sverd for their respective roles in the diagnostic evaluations and anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. New School of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya (IDC), Herzliya, Israel

    Sarit Guttmann-Steinmetz

  2. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Putnam Hall-South Campus, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-8790, USA

    Kenneth D. Gadow & Judy Crowell

  3. Department of Pediatrics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA

    Carla J. DeVincent

Authors
  1. Sarit Guttmann-Steinmetz
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  2. Kenneth D. Gadow
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  3. Carla J. DeVincent
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  4. Judy Crowell
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Correspondence to Sarit Guttmann-Steinmetz.

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Guttmann-Steinmetz, S., Gadow, K.D., DeVincent, C.J. et al. Anxiety Symptoms in Boys with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or Chronic Multiple Tic Disorder and Community Controls. J Autism Dev Disord 40, 1006–1016 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-010-0950-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-010-0950-x

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