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Reciprocal social behavior in children with and without pervasive developmental disorders
J N Constantino1, T Przybeck, D Friesen
1Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA. constantino@psychiatry.wustl.edu
Summary
Children with pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs) show significant deficits in reciprocal social behavior (RSB). Continuous assessment of RSB may aid in diagnosing autism spectrum disorders and related conditions.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Child Psychiatry
- Behavioral Neuroscience
Background:
- Deficits in reciprocal social behavior (RSB) are a hallmark of pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs).
- Existing diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) may not capture the full spectrum of social reciprocity impairments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the utility of the Social Reciprocity Scale (SRS) in assessing RSB deficits across different child populations.
- To investigate the relationship between core autistic symptomatology and broader impairments in RSB.
Main Methods:
- Administered the Social Reciprocity Scale (SRS) to 287 schoolchildren and 158 child psychiatric patients.
- Utilized teacher and parent reports for RSB assessments.
- Employed latent class analysis and factor analysis to examine the structure of RSB deficits.
Main Results:
- Children with PDDs exhibited significantly greater RSB deficits compared to clinical and nonclinical controls.
- RSB scores demonstrated a continuous distribution across all subject groups.
- Analyses did not support distinct categories for core autism symptoms and general RSB impairments, suggesting a "broader autism phenotype."
Conclusions:
- Continuous assessment of RSB using the SRS is valuable for characterizing social deficits in children, including those below the diagnostic threshold for autism.
- The findings support the concept of a broader autism phenotype and may inform genetic-linkage studies for ASDs.