title: Initial characteristics of psychological development and evolution of the young autistic child.
abstract: This longitudinal study assessed multidisciplinary data on 219 children with autistic spectrum disorders from the median age of 5 (Time 1) to 8 years old (Time 2). The evolution of psychological and adaptive data was subjected to cluster analysis. Four clinically meaningful clusters emerged. The first group (21%) demonstrated the most important psychological transformations between the two times of the research. The second group (24%) made progress but less than group 1. The third and biggest group (30%) kept the same developmental slope. The fourth group (25%) showed no significant evolution between the two times of the research. This study highlights important differences among children with autism and the necessity of using a developmental view when considering the autistic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Clinique Peyre Plantade, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Montpellier, 291, avenue du Doyen Giraud, 34295, Montpellier, France. rene.pry@wanadoo.fr
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pry
authors.forename: Joffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bodet
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pernon
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aussilloux
authors.forename: Amaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baghdadli
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D013997:Time Factors