title: Oppositional defiant disorder as a clinical phenotype in children with autism spectrum disorder.
abstract: To examine the validity of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) as a clinical phenotype distinct from attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), parents and teachers completed a DSM-IV-referenced rating scale and a background questionnaire for 608 children (ages 3-12 years) with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The ASD sample was separated into four groups: ODD, ADHD, ODD + ADHD, and neither (NONE). Comparison samples were non-ASD clinic (n = 326) and community (n > 800) controls. In the ASD sample, all three ODD/ADHD groups were clearly differentiated from the NONE group, and the ODD + ADHD group had the most severe co-occurring symptoms, medication use, and environmental disadvantage. There were few differences between ASD + ODD and ASD + ADHD groups. Findings for ASD and control samples were similar, supporting overlapping mechanisms in the pathogenesis of ODD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Putnam Hall-South Campus, Stony Brook, New York, NY 11794-8790, USA. kenneth.gadow@stonybrook.edu
authors.forename: Kenneth D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Gadow
authors.forename: Carla J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Devincent
authors.forename: Deborah A G
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Drabick
mesh_terms: D020817:Asperger Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics