Poster #24 - The Impact of Psychopathology on Adaptive Behavior in Autistic Adolescents

• In Event: Poster Session 01

Abstract

Adult outcomes for youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are poor with a large portion of adults being unemployed, not living independently, and lacking meaningful peer relationships. Adaptive behavior skills are closely related to improved adult outcomes but are uniquely impaired in autistic youth without intellectual disability falling greatly below population means. Previous research has shown that anxiety, depression, and attention problems are significantly related to adaptive behavior deficits in adults (Kraper et al., 2017). This relationship has not been examined in a large sample of autistic adolescents. We aim to investigate how anxiety, depression, and attention problems contribute to adaptive behavior in autistic teens.

Participants included 419 autistic teens (69% male) between 11 and 18 years old (M = 14.19, SD = 2.23) encompassing both the early and late adolescence period. All participants had a clinical diagnosis of ASD from a qualified clinician with expertise in diagnosing ASD. Additionally, all participants had a full-scale IQ greater than or equal to 70 (M = 98.53, SD = 15.81) on standard assessments of cognitive functioning. Adaptive behavior was measured utilizing the global adaptive composite score from the Adaptive Behavior Assessment Scale (ABAS). To assess psychopathology, the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) was administered to all parents. For this project, we were primarily interested in the following subscales: anxiety problems, depression problems, and attention problems. Initial bivariate correlations examined the relationship between adaptive behavior and symptoms of psychopathology. Linear regression models were then calculated to examine how psychopathology contributes to adaptive behavior covarying for age and IQ.

Adaptive behavior was strongly related to anxiety (r = -.324, p <.001), depression (r = -.290, p <.001), and attention problems (r = -.430, p <.001). Linear regression models showed that greater anxiety (B = -.128, t = -1.944, p = .05), depression (B = -.198, t = -3.653, p < .001), and attention problems (B = -.314, t = -5.896, p < .001), were all predictive of greater adaptive behavior challenges (R2 = .276, f = 31.220, p <.001). Additionally, IQ (B = .174, t = 5.170, p < .001) was a significant predictor of adaptive skills, and age was approaching significance as a predictor (B = -.448, t = -1.928, p =.06).

Previous research has shown that adaptive behavior is closely related to multiple symptom areas of psychopathology including anxiety, depression, and attention problems in autistic adults. Results from this project extend this finding downward to autistic adolescents. We found that anxiety, depression, and attention problems were all related to adaptive behavior in adolescents, and higher problems in each of these areas were predictive of greater adaptive behavior deficits. Additionally, age and IQ also contributed to adaptive behavior skills which is consistent with previous literature. Future research should continue to examine this relationship by further investigating which areas of adaptive behavior are most impacted by anxiety, depression, and attention problems. Symptoms of psychopathology may be a powerful intervention target to help promote positive outcomes for autistic adults.

Authors

• Rebecca Handsman, University of Denver
  Presenting Author

• Alexis Khuu

• Lauren Kenworthy

• Cara Pugliese