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Review
. 2021 Sep 18;67(5):310-317.
doi: 10.1080/20473869.2021.1925402. eCollection 2021.

Behavioural equivalents of schizophrenia in people with intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder. A selective review

Trine Lise Bakken  1
Affiliations
Review

Behavioural equivalents of schizophrenia in people with intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder. A selective review

Trine Lise Bakken. Int J Dev Disabil. .

Abstract

Assessment of schizophrenia (SCZ) in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is complicated due to confounding symptoms between ASD and SCZ. These confounding factors are aggravated when the patient has sparse verbal skills. A selective review was conducted to identify behavioural equivalents when assessing SCZ in individuals with ASD with sparse verbal skills, from 16 years of age. Only clinical papers were reviewed. Eight relevant articles were analysed for the use of behavioural equivalents in clinical settings. The results showed that especially disorganized speech and behaviour and negative symptoms can be observed in patients with SCZ and ASD who speak sparsely. It is not possible to observe delusions, but they may be reported by the patients when treated adequately for some time, usually months. Hallucinations cannot be observed directly, but 'hallucinatory behaviour' may be interpreted as hallucinations when observed concurrently with other SCZ symptoms. Additionally, age of onset and marked impaired global functioning compared to habitual functioning may constitute a diagnosis of SCZ in ASD. ASD is considered a lifelong condition and may be identified within the first 3-4 years, while SCZ onset is usually in adolescence or early adulthood.

Keywords: autism spectrum disorder; behavioural equivalents; intellectual disability; schizophrenia.

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Conflict of interest statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

References

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    1. Bakken, T. L.2010. Schizophrenia in adults with intellectual disability and autism: Behavioural indicators and staff communication skills. Doctoral dissertation, University of Oslo.
    1. Bakken, T. L.2014. Psychosis and disorganized behaviour in adults with autism and intellectual disability: Case identification and staff-patient interaction. In: Patel V. B., Preedy V. R., and Martin C. R., eds. Comprehensive guide to autism. New York: Springer Science, pp.585–600.
    1. Bakken, T. L., Eilertsen, D. E., Smeby, N. A. and Martinsen, H. (2008). Effective communication related to psychotic disorganised behaviour in adults with intellectual disability and autism.Nordic Journal of Nursing Research and Clinical Studies, 88, 9–13.

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