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. 2009 Oct;37(7):1019-34.
doi: 10.1007/s10802-009-9326-0.

Patterns of growth in adaptive social abilities among children with autism spectrum disorders

Deborah K Anderson  1 , Rosalind S Oti, Catherine Lord, Kathleen Welch
Affiliations

Patterns of growth in adaptive social abilities among children with autism spectrum disorders

Deborah K Anderson et al. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2009 Oct.

Abstract

Adaptive social skills were assessed longitudinally at approximately ages 2, 3, 5, 9, and 13 years in a sample of 192 children with a clinical diagnosis of autism (n = 93), PDD-NOS (n = 51), or nonspectrum developmental disabilities (n = 46) at age 2. Growth curve analyses with SAS proc mixed were used to analyze social trajectories over time. Both individual characteristics and environmental resources emerged as key predictors of adaptive social behavior outcome. The gap between children with autism and the other two diagnostic groups widened with time as the social skills of the latter groups improved at a higher rate. However, within diagnostic groups, improvement ranged from minimal to very dramatic. Children with autism most at risk for problems with social adaptive abilities later in life can be identified with considerable accuracy at a very young age so they can be targeted for appropriate early intervention services.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Predicted Social Growth Trends by Age 2 Diagnosis
Figure 2
Figure 2
Predicted Verbal Growth Trends by MPST Therapy Status
Figure 3
Figure 3
Individual Social Skills Trajectories by Age 2 Diagnosis
Figure 4
Figure 4
Social Skills Growth Trends Children with an ASD by Amount of Improvement
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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