Abstract
Background: Despite a high prevalence of psychiatric conditions in autistic adults, research examining the diagnostic stability of psychiatric conditions diagnosed prior to autism is limited. Method: The present study examined the occurrence of (1) psychiatric diagnoses obtained before autism was diagnosed, (2) psychiatric conditions co-occurring with autism following its diagnosis, and (3) psychiatric conditions that were diagnosed before autism but no longer co-occurred with autism following its diagnosis. Participants (N = 1019, 51.5% female) provided information on psychiatric conditions predating their diagnosis of autism and psychiatric conditions co-occurring with autism. This information was combined to identify prior diagnoses that were no longer present post-autism diagnosis. Results: Results showed that 50.2% of participants (62.7% of females and 37% of males) had at least one prior diagnosis. Mood and personality disorders were the most frequent prior diagnoses. Moreover, 59.3% (67% of females and 51% of males) reported having at least one diagnosis co-occurring with autism. Mood and anxiety disorders were the most frequent co-occurring diagnoses. Finally, 37.7% (47% of females and 27.3% of males) reported at least one previously diagnosed psychiatric condition that was no longer listed as a condition co-occurring with autism following its diagnosis. Personality disorders were most frequently no longer reported as diagnoses co-occurring with autism, despite being listed as prior diagnoses. Conclusions: This study provides quantitative estimates of the temporal stability of specific psychiatric conditions before and after a diagnosis of autism in adults.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 101736 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1-11 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Research in autism spectrum disorders |
| Volume | 82 |
| Early online date | 5 Feb 2021 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Apr 2021 |
Funding
SB and AMS were supported by De Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek [grant number No. Aut.17.006]; and De Nederlandse Organisatie voor Gezondheidsonderzoek en Zorginnovatie [grant number No. 40-00812-98-16064]. The funding sources had no involvement in study design; the collection, analysis or interpretation of data; the writing of the report; or the decision to submit the article for publication. SB and AMS were supported by De Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek [grant number No. Aut.17.006 ]; and De Nederlandse Organisatie voor Gezondheidsonderzoek en Zorginnovatie [grant number No. 40-00812-98-16064 ]. The funding sources had no involvement in study design; the collection, analysis or interpretation of data; the writing of the report; or the decision to submit the article for publication.
| Funders | Funder number |
|---|---|
| De Nederlandse Organisatie voor Gezondheidsonderzoek en Zorginnovatie | |
| Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek | |
| Aard- en Levenswetenschappen, Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek | 40-00812-98-16064 |
Keywords
- Adults
- ASD
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Co-occurring diagnoses
- Female
- Prior diagnoses
