title: Risperidone and adaptive behavior in children with autism.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the impact of risperidone on adaptive behavior in children with autistic disorder who have serious behavior problems and to examine different methods of scoring the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales to measure change.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight children (5 years to 16 years, 5 months) who showed behavioral improvement during acute treatment with risperidone were followed for 6 months and assessed with the Vineland Scales.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Raw scores, age-equivalents, and special norm percentile scores all showed significant increases in adaptive behavior in the areas of communication, daily living skills, and socialization (p <.01). During a period of 6 to 8 months, children gained an average of 7.8 age-equivalent months in the area of socialization, a > 6% improvement beyond what would be expected based on baseline growth rates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although limited by the absence of a control group, these results suggest that risperidone may improve adaptive skills in children with autistic disorder accompanied by serious behavioral problems. Vineland age-equivalent scores appear to be most useful in assessing change with treatment over time.
authors.affiliation: Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-7900, USA.
authors.forename: Susan K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Scahill
authors.forename: Benedetto
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vitiello
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Aman
authors.forename: L Eugene
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: McDougle
authors.forename: James T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: McCracken
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tierney
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ritz
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Posey
authors.forename: Naomi B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Swiezy
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hollway
authors.forename: Pegeen
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cronin
authors.forename: Jaswinder
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ghuman
authors.forename: Courtney
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wheeler
authors.forename: Domenic
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cicchetti
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sparrow
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects*; D000293:Adolescent; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D018967:Risperidone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012919:Social Behavior
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D018967:Risperidone