title: Examining the clinical correlates of autism spectrum disorder in youth by ascertainment source.
abstract: To examine whether presentation of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and associated patterns of psychiatric comorbidity and dysfunction vary by referral source. ASD youth referred to a specialized ambulatory program for ASD (N = 143) were compared to ASD youth referred to a general child psychiatry clinic (N = 217). More ASD clinic youth met criteria for a more robust form of ASD (autistic disorder); more youth referred to the psychiatry clinic met criteria for broader spectrum ASD (pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified). General psychiatry clinic youth with ASD suffered from a greater burden of psychopathologies and higher levels of dysfunction. The presentation of ASD in psychiatrically referred youth differs between general and ASD-specialized clinics, though both referral populations have high levels of comorbidity and dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Research Program in Pediatric Psychopharmacology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, YAW 6A, Boston, MA, 02114, USA, joshi.gagan@mgh.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Gagan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.forename: Stephen V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Faraone
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wozniak
authors.forename: Carter
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Petty
authors.forename: Ronna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fried
authors.forename: Maribel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galdo
authors.forename: Stephannie L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Furtak
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McDermott
authors.forename: Cecily
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Epstien
authors.forename: Rosemary
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caron
authors.forename: Leah
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Feinberg
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Biederman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012919:Social Behavior