title: Phenotypic overlap between core diagnostic features and emotional/behavioral problems in preschool children with autism spectrum disorder.
abstract: This study examined the phenotypic overlap between core diagnostic features and emotional/behavioral problems in a sample of 335 preschool children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Results from principal component analysis (2 components; 49.70% variance explained) suggested substantial phenotypic overlap between core diagnostic features and emotional/behavioral problems. Component I, Emotional Behavioral Repetitive Problems, was independent of the children's intellectual, adaptive functioning, and structural language abilities. Component II, Social Communication Deficits, was negatively related to the children's intellectual, adaptive functioning, and structural language abilities. Both components were positively related to parental stress. This exploratory study contributes to our understanding of the ASD phenotype and provides further support for including emotional/behavioral problems as part of the clinical characterization of children with ASD.
authors.affiliation: Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, 1200 Main St. W, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Stelios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Georgiades
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Szatmari
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Duku
authors.forename: Lonnie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zwaigenbaum
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bryson
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fombonne
authors.forename: Pat
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mirenda
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Tracy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vaillancourt
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Volden
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Waddell
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thompson
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype