title: The structure of autism spectrum disorder symptoms in the general population at 18 months.
abstract: It is unclear whether symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in young children in the population fit the three-factor structure of ASD as described in the DSM-IV, and cluster together in individual subjects. This study analysed questionnaire data on ASD symptoms filled in by mothers of 11,332 18-month-old children that was collected in the context of the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study conducted by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Confirmatory Factor Analyses showed that the three-factor model had a significantly better fit then the two- and one-factor model of ASD symptoms. Latent class analysis revealed four homogeneous groups of children (classes) with different scores for Social Interaction and Communication at one hand and Stereotypies/Rigidity at the other hand.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry (966), Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. k.t.beuker@psy.umcn.nl
authors.forename: Karin T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Beuker
authors.forename: Synnve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schjølberg
authors.forename: Kari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kveim Lie
authors.forename: Rogier
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Donders
authors.forename: Martijn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lappenschaar
authors.forename: Sophie H N
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Swinkels
authors.forename: Jan K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Buitelaar
mesh_terms: D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003142:Communication; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D009664:Norway; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012737:Sex Factors; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior