title: Comparison of children with autism spectrum disorder with and without schizophrenia spectrum traits: gender, season of birth, and mental health risk factors.
abstract: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with and without co-occurring schizophrenia spectrum traits (SST) were examined for differences in co-occurring psychiatric symptoms, background characteristics, and mental health risk factors. Participating mothers and teachers completed a DSM-IV-referenced rating scale and a background questionnaire (mothers only) describing 147 children (6-12 years) with ASD. There was a clear pattern of group differences in co-occurring psychiatric symptom severity (+SST > SST-) and background characteristics. Children with impairing SST had more mental health risk factors. Girls were more likely to be classified SST according to mothers' ratings. Children born in spring-summer were more likely to be classified non-SST by teachers' ratings. Findings provide tentative evidence that SST may be a useful marker of behavioral heterogeneity within the ASD clinical phenotype.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Cody Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities (Pediatrics), Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, 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
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D009035:Mothers; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012621:Seasons; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires