Girls with social and/or attention deficits: a descriptive study of 100 clinic attenders.
OBJECTIVE
Examine clinical correlates and distinguishing features of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), ADHD, and tic disorders in girls referred for social impairment, attention/academic deficits, and/or tics.


METHODS
One hundred 3- to 18-year-old girls referred for social impairment and attention symptoms were assessed in detail. Sixty of these girls, 7 to 16 years of age (IQ >or= 80) were compared with age-matched girls (IQ >or= 80) from the community.


RESULTS
Main diagnoses of ASD, ADHD, tic disorders, and "other psychiatric disorder" were made in 46, 46, 3, and 5, respectively, of the referred girls. The ASD and ADHD groups (mean age at diagnosis 8.8 and 13.0 years, respectively) had the same types and high rates of psychiatric comorbidity. Girls with ASD had more problems with global functioning and adaptive levels of daily living skills than girls with ADHD. Differences between these girls referred for investigation and the community sample of girls were very considerable across a range of factors.


CONCLUSIONS
Girls referred for social and/or attention deficits usually meet diagnostic criteria for either ASD or ADHD. They have severe psychiatric comorbidities and low global levels of functioning.
Kopp
Svenny
S
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Göteborg, Sweden. svenny.kopp@vgregion.se
Kelly
Kristina Berg
KB
Gillberg
Christopher
C
D000293:Adolescent; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013981:Tic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology