title: Young People with Intellectual Disability Transitioning to Adulthood: Do Behaviour Trajectories Differ in Those with and without Down Syndrome?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Young people with intellectual disability exhibit substantial and persistent problem behaviours compared with their non-disabled peers. The aim of this study was to compare changes in emotional and behavioural problems for young people with intellectual disability with and without Down syndrome as they transition into adulthood in two different Australian cohorts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Emotional and behavioural problems were measured over three time points using the Developmental Behaviour Checklist (DBC) for those with Down syndrome (n = 323 at wave one) and compared to those with intellectual disability of another cause (n = 466 at wave one). Outcome scores were modelled using random effects regression as linear functions of age, Down syndrome status, ability to speak and gender.
  
  
  RESULTS
  DBC scores of those with Down syndrome were lower than those of people without Down syndrome indicating fewer behavioural problems on all scales except communication disturbance. For both groups disruptive, communication disturbance, anxiety and self-absorbed DBC subscales all declined on average over time. There were two important differences between changes in behaviours for these two cohorts. Depressive symptoms did not significantly decline for those with Down syndrome compared to those without Down syndrome. The trajectory of the social relating behaviours subscale differed between these two cohorts, where those with Down syndrome remained relatively steady and, for those with intellectual disability from another cause, the behaviours increased over time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results have implications for needed supports and opportunities for engagement in society to buffer against these emotional and behavioural challenges.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Disability, Neuropsychiatry, School of Psychiatry, UNSW Australia, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Kitty-Rose
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Foley
authors.affiliation: Centre for Developmental Psychiatry and Psychology, School of Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Taffe
authors.affiliation: Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bourke
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.|Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Stewart L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Einfeld
authors.affiliation: Centre for Developmental Psychiatry and Psychology, School of Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Bruce J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Tonge
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Disability, Neuropsychiatry, School of Psychiatry, UNSW Australia, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Trollor
authors.affiliation: Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Leonard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D001519:Behavior; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003863:Depression; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D000066553:Problem Behavior; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D060305:Transition to Adult Care; D055815:Young Adult