ASD Traits Among Youth with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Area of Science:

• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders

Background:

• High rates of comorbid psychiatric disorders are observed in youth with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
• Autism and autistic traits frequently co-occur in clinical samples of youth diagnosed with OCD.
• Existing literature highlights the need to explore the interplay of autistic traits, family accommodation, and functional impairment in pediatric OCD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) traits, family accommodation, and functional impairment in a broad age range of youth with OCD.
• To determine the prevalence of elevated autistic traits in a clinical sample of youth with OCD.
• To examine the mediating role of family accommodation in the association between ASD traits and functional impairment.

Main Methods:

• A sample of 80 youth aged 7-17 years with OCD was assessed.
• The Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) was used to measure autistic traits.
• Statistical analyses were conducted to examine associations between ASD traits, family accommodation, OCD severity, and functional impairment.

Main Results:

• Elevated autistic traits, as measured by the SRS, were found in 32.5% of the youth sample.
• A significant association was observed between higher ASD traits and greater functional impairment, independent of OCD severity.
• Family accommodation was identified as a mediator in the relationship between ASD traits and functional impairment.

Conclusions:

• Autistic traits are prevalent in youth with OCD and are associated with increased functional impairment.
• Family accommodation significantly influences the link between autistic traits and functional impairment in this population.
• Findings underscore the importance of considering ASD traits and family accommodation in the clinical assessment and treatment of youth with OCD.