title: Age and Adaptive Functioning in Children and Adolescents with ASD: The Effects of Intellectual Functioning and ASD Symptom Severity.
abstract: The present study examined the moderating effects of intellectual functioning and ASD symptom severity on the relation between age and adaptive functioning in 220 youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Regression analysis indicated that intellectual functioning and ASD symptom severity moderated the relation between age and adaptive functioning. For younger children with lower intellectual functioning, higher ASD symptom severity was associated with better adaptive functioning than that of those with lower ASD symptom severity. Similarly, for older children with higher intellectual functioning, higher ASD symptom severity was associated with better adaptive functioning than that of those with lower ASD symptom severity. Analyses by subscales suggest that this pattern is driven by the Conceptual subscale. Clinical and research implications are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Tulane University, 2007 Percival Stern Hall, 6400 Freret St., New Orleans, LA, 70118-5636, USA.
authors.forename: Trenesha L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Tulane University, 2007 Percival Stern Hall, 6400 Freret St., New Orleans, LA, 70118-5636, USA. sgray4@tulane.edu.
authors.forename: Sarah A O
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital, New Orleans, 200 Henry Clay Ave., New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA.
authors.forename: Jodi L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Kamps
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Sciences, Loyola University New Orleans, Box 194, 6363 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Enrique Varela
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D007360:Intelligence / Q000502:physiology; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
keywords: ASD symptom severity; Adaptive functioning; Age; Autism spectrum disorder; Intellectual functioning