Exploring Social Subtypes in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Preliminary Study.

Area of Science:

• Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• Child Psychology
• Social Neuroscience

Background:

• Social functioning impairments are a core diagnostic feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
• Individuals with ASD exhibit significant heterogeneity in social presentation, severity, and developmental trajectories.
• Existing measures may not fully capture the nuanced profiles of social abilities in ASD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore homogeneous subgroups within ASD based on social functioning profiles using the Stanford Social Dimensions Scale (SSDS).
• To investigate whether identified subgroups differ in cognitive abilities and symptom severity.
• To inform the development of personalized interventions for ASD.

Main Methods:

• Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was employed on SSDS subscale scores from parents of 164 individuals with ASD.
• Participants also completed the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2) and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL).
• Intellectual functioning (FSIQ) was assessed to explore group differences.

Main Results:

• Five distinct social functioning profiles were identified among individuals with ASD.
• These profiles represented unique patterns of strengths and weaknesses, not merely a severity gradient.
• Subgroups differed significantly in cognitive abilities and ASD/internalizing symptom severity.

Conclusions:

• The findings support the existence of distinct subgroups within ASD characterized by specific social functioning profiles.
• These subgroups are differentiated by cognitive and clinical characteristics, suggesting a need for tailored interventions.
• Further research is warranted to validate these subgroups and their implications for personalized ASD care.