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An epidemiological study of infantile autism in a French department (Rhône): a research note
1Service de psychiatrie, Hôpital Bellevue, Saint Etienne, France.
Insights
Autism prevalence in children aged 5-9 in Rhône, France, was 10.8/10,000 with broad criteria and 5.1/10,000 using DSM-III criteria. DSM-III criteria may not capture the full spectrum of early psychotic disorders.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychiatry
- Epidemiology
- Developmental Neuroscience
Background:
- Infantile autism prevalence studies are crucial for understanding neurodevelopmental disorders.
- Defining diagnostic criteria impacts observed prevalence rates and epidemiological data.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of infantile autism in a specific French population.
- To compare prevalence rates using broad operational criteria versus DSM-III criteria.
- To evaluate the suitability of DSM-III for capturing a wider spectrum of early psychotic disorders.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Rhône department of France.
- Prevalence was calculated for children aged 5-9 years.
- Two sets of diagnostic criteria were applied: broad operational criteria and DSM-III criteria.
Main Results:
- Prevalence was 10.8 per 10,000 children using broad criteria.
- Prevalence decreased to 5.1 per 10,000 children using DSM-III criteria.
- Boy/girl sex ratios were 2.1:1 and 2.3:1 for the respective criteria sets.
Conclusions:
- DSM-III criteria may be too narrow for encompassing the full spectrum of autistic-like and polymorphous early psychotic disorders.
- Further research is needed to validate subdivisions based on associated neurological anomalies for a more nuanced understanding.
Abstract:
In a French Department (Rhône), the prevalence of infantile autism was found to be 10.8 per 10,000 in the 5-9 age group, using broad operational criteria. The prevalence decreases to 5.1 per 10,000 when another set of criteria, similar to DSM-III, is used. The boy/girl sex ratios for these two sets of criteria were 2.1:1 and 2.3:1 respectively. The use of DSM-III turned out to be problematic for taking into account a broad spectrum of early psychotic disorders, autistic-like, yet more polymorphous. A subdivision concerning the existence of associated major neurological anomalies has appeared promising but requires finer validation.