The Association Between Autism Symptoms and Child Functioning in a Sample With ADHD Recruited From the Community

2019 ◽  
pp. 108705471988635
Author(s):  
Kate Stephens ◽  
Rachel O’Loughlin ◽  
Jessica L. Green ◽  
Vicki Anderson ◽  
Nicole Rinehart ◽  
...  

Objective: Although autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms are associated with poorer functioning in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), it is unclear which ASD symptom domains are most impairing. This study investigated whether specific ASD symptom domains were associated with child functioning in children with ADHD. Method: Parents of 164 children with ADHD completed a diagnostic interview to assess ADHD and comorbidities. Parents reported on ASD symptoms (Social Communication Questionnaire) and child quality of life (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0). Parents and teachers completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (emotional, conduct, and peer problems). Results: Repetitive and stereotyped behaviors were independently associated with emotional ( p = .02) and conduct ( p = .03) problems, and poorer quality of life ( p = .004). Reciprocal social interaction deficits were independently associated with peer problems ( p = .03). Conclusion: Reciprocal social interaction deficits and repetitive and stereotyped behaviors are important areas that should be focused on in ADHD assessment and treatment.

2016 ◽  
Vol 101 (10) ◽  
pp. 922-928 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Leigh Green ◽  
Emma Sciberras ◽  
Vicki Anderson ◽  
Daryl Efron ◽  
Nicole Rinehart

ObjectiveTo examine the association between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms and (a) social functioning, (b) mental health, (c) quality of life and (d) sleep in children with and without attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).MethodsParticipants were 6–10-year-old children with ADHD (N=164) and without ADHD (N=198). ADHD was assessed via community-based screening (wave 1) and case confirmation using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children IV (DISC-IV) (wave 2). ASD symptoms were identified using the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ). Outcome measures were social functioning (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)), mental health (DISC-IV, SDQ), quality of life (QoL, Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0) and sleep problem severity.ResultsGreater ASD symptoms were associated with more parent and teacher-reported peer problems and emotional and conduct problems. For every SD increase in SCQ scores, internalising (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.3 to 2.6, p=0.001) and externalising disorders (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1 to 2.1, p=0.02) increased, QoL decreased by 6.7 units (p<0.001), and moderate/severe sleep problems increased (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.0 to 2.2, p=0.04). Most findings held in analyses adjusting for socio-demographic factors, ADHD symptom severity and comorbidities (when not the outcome), with the exception of externalising disorders and sleep problems.ConclusionsASD symptoms are associated with poorer functioning in children with ADHD. It is important to identify and potentially manage ASD symptoms in children with ADHD given that they exacerbate functional impairments in this already vulnerable group.


Author(s):  
Keith W. Pecor ◽  
Georgia Barbyannis ◽  
Max Yang ◽  
Jacklyn Johnson ◽  
Sarah Materasso ◽  
...  

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented many challenges to caregivers of children. Families with children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and/or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are an understudied but potentially vulnerable population to changes during the outbreak. As such, the aim of this study was to contrast quality of life for caregivers of children with ADHD and/or ASD, before and during the pandemic, compared to caregivers of neurotypical (NT) children. Total, Parent Health-Related Quality of Life, and Family Functioning Summary Scores from the Family Impact Module of the Pediatric Quality of Life InventoryTM were contrasted among caregivers of children with ADHD, ASD, comorbid ADHD and ASD, and NT development. For all scores, caregivers of ADHD and/or ASD children reported lower quality of life, both before and during the pandemic, in comparison to caregivers of NT children. For all diagnoses, quality of life decreased during the pandemic, but caregivers of children with ADHD and/or ASD reported a greater decrease in quality of life than caregivers for NT children. There are limitations to this study in terms of the composition of the sample and the survey methodology, but we are able to conclude that caregivers of children with ADHD and/or ASD have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, and it is imperative that these families receive additional resources and support to improve their quality of life.


Author(s):  
Cristina Dumitru ◽  
Dana-Elena Ciobanu

Managing challenging behaviours is crucially important in order for a child to start learning, and this chapter provides teachers with certain tips and recommendations that are meant to improve the quality of life of autistic children, which implies, in particular, increasing their level of independence, the ability to establish social relationships, the opportunity to study and work, access to outdoor and leisure activities. The main aims of this chapter would be addressing the development of new positive behaviour skills which will facilitate social interaction, communication, and learning readiness and the reduction of undesirable forms of behaviour (aggression, self-aggression, hysterics, fears, unusual interests, stereotype behaviours), which are the main factors that hinder socialization and learning. This chapter will present some instruments to collect data about managing behaviours, interpret the data, and address the challenging behaviour in an appropriate manner.


Author(s):  
Lizeta Bakola ◽  
Nikolaos Rizos ◽  
Athanasios Drigas

ADHD and autism, also called Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), according to the DSM-5, are both two of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood although they can continue into adolescence. ADHD is characterized by inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity and Autism by problems with social interactions and stereotyped (repetitive or ritualistic) behaviors. Many studies have proved that the two conditions can occur together and furthermore, that children with ADHD and or autism disorder can have or develop a co-morbid psychiatric disorder. In this paper we review research on the presentation of these two behavioral and emotional disorders as ADHD and Autism ,their common symptoms and characteristics as well as the significant and major contribution of ICT’s who shows magnificent promise to improve the quality of life for children with ADHD and ASD.


2019 ◽  
pp. 195-207

Background: Autism spectrum disorder is characterized in part by atypical behavior in the communication, social, and visual domains. Success in vision therapy is judged not only by changes in optometric findings, but through improvement in quality of life involving communication, social behavior and visual behavior. It would therefore be beneficial to have a validated questionnaire to assess parent reported quality of life pre and post vision therapy specific to patients with autism spectrum disorder. To our knowledge, a questionnaire of this nature has not been previously published in the literature. Methods: Questionnaire items were generated through surveying medical literature based on symptoms in three different categories: visual behavior, social behavior and communication. A pool of 34 questions was developed initially and then with thorough discussion with other experts, a 20-point questionnaire was developed with each item reflected in the construct concept. A draft of 20 questions was then sent to 10 subject experts with clinical experience in the field for more than 20 years, to review the pooled items. Validity and reliability was established prior to assessing the psychometric properties of the ASD/QOL-VT. Prospective observational study was conducted for a duration of 18 months. The study included individuals undergoing vision therapy in the age range of 3 to 15 years who had been diagnosed with ASD. The questionnaire was administered to parents of these children prior to the start of vision therapy. All subjects completed a minimum of 60 vision therapy sessions. The questionnaire was readministered after completing 60 sessions of vision therapy. Results: Cronbach’s alpha value for this questionnaire was 0.93, which reflected very good internal consistency. Factorial analysis yielded four factors with an Eigen value exceeding 1.0 which accounted for 68% variation in the model. The Cronbach alpha value for subscales identified by factorial analysis is 0.97 indicating excellent internal reliability. The mean pre vision therapy social behavior, communication and visual behavior score was 12.0±3.21, 17.07±4.57 and 26.97±6.41 respectively. The mean post vision therapy scores for social behavior, communication and visual behavior was 8.27±4.16, 11.33±5.27 and 17.93±6.52 respectively. On paired t test, the mean difference in score was statistically significant with P<0.001 in all three subcategories. Conclusions: Our study presents the development of a valid and reliable parent questionnaire, the ASD/QOL-VT, that judges communication, social behavior, and visual behavior in autism. Results of the study conducted indicate that vision therapy can result in significant improvements in the quality of life of patients with ASD as judged by their parents. This is evidenced by statistically significant changes in psychometric properties of the ASD/QOL-VT in social behavior, communication and visual behavior.


Author(s):  
Marisse T. Sonido ◽  
Ye In Hwang ◽  
Preeyaporn Srasuebkul ◽  
Julian N. Trollor ◽  
Samuel R. C. Arnold

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 475
Author(s):  
Szabina Velő ◽  
Ágnes Keresztény ◽  
Gyöngyvér Ferenczi-Dallos ◽  
Luca Pump ◽  
Katalin Móra ◽  
...  

Several recent studies confirmed that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has a negative influence on peer relationship and quality of life in children. The aim of the current study is to investigate the association between prosocial behaviour, peer relationships and quality of life in treatment naïve ADHD samples. The samples included 79 children with ADHD (64 boys and 15 girls, mean age = 10.24 years, SD = 2.51) and 54 healthy control children (30 boys and 23 girls, mean age = 9.66 years, SD = 1.73). Measurements included: The “Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview Kid; Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire” and the “Inventar zur Erfassung der Lebensqualität bei Kindern und Jugendlichen”. The ADHD group showed significantly lower levels of prosocial behaviour and more problems with peer relationships than the control group. Prosocial behaviour has a weak positive correlation with the rating of the child’s quality of life by the parents, both in the ADHD group and in the control group. The rating of quality of life and peer relationship problems by the parents also showed a significant negative moderate association in both groups. The rating of quality of life by the child showed a significant negative weak relationship with peer relationships in the ADHD group, but no significant relationship was found in the control group. Children with ADHD and comorbid externalizing disorders showed more problems in peer relationships than ADHD without comorbid externalizing disorders. Based on these results, we conclude that therapy for ADHD focused on improvement of prosocial behaviour and peer relationships as well as comorbid externalizing disorders could have a favourable effect on the quality of life of these children.


Author(s):  
Marina M. Schoemaker ◽  
Suzanne Houwen

Abstract Purpose of Review (1) To give an overview of what is currently known about health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in three common and co-occurring developmental disorders: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and developmental coordination disorder (DCD), and (2) to provide directions for future research. Recent Findings HRQoL is compromised in all three developmental disorders, affecting various domains of HRQoL. However, some domains are more affected than others depending on the nature of the core deficits of the disorder. Overall, parents’ rate HRQoL of their children lower than the children themselves. Children with ASD and ADHD with co-occurring disorders have lower HRQoL compared to those with singular disorders. Future studies in DCD are needed to investigate the effect of co-occurring disorder in this population. Summary Children with developmental disorders have lower HRQoL than typically developing children. Future research should focus on the effects of co-occurring disorders on HRQoL and on protective factors that may increase HRQoL. HRQoL should be a part of clinical assessment, as it reveals the areas in life children are struggling with that could be targeted during intervention.


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