Prevalence and treatment of mental, behavioral, and developmental disorders in children with co-occurring autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A population-based study
- PMID: 36644987
- PMCID: PMC10160807
- DOI: 10.1002/aur.2894
Prevalence and treatment of mental, behavioral, and developmental disorders in children with co-occurring autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A population-based study
Abstract
There is a lack of nationally representative studies examining the co-occurrence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. This study examines comorbid mental, behavioral, and developmental disorders (MBDDs) and associated treatment modalities for children with co-occurring ASD and ADHD. Cross-sectional analyses were conducted using data from the pooled 2016-2018 National Survey of Children's Health (sample n = 102,341). Nationally representative prevalences were estimated for sociodemographic variables, comorbidities, psychotropic medication, and behavioral treatment. We assessed multivariable associations between co-occurring ASD + ADHD and MBDDs, use of psychotropic medication, and receipt of behavioral treatment after adjustment for sociodemographic confounders. Compared to children with ASD without co-occurring ADHD, children with ASD + ADHD had higher prevalence of most MBDDs, including anxiety (AOR 4.03 [95% CI 2.77, 4.87]), depression (AOR 3.08 [95% CI 1.77, 5.36]), behavior or conduct problems (AOR 4.06 [95% CI 2.72, 6.06]), and other mental health conditions. Similarly, compared to children with ADHD without ASD, children with ASD + ADHD had higher odds of anxiety (AOR 3.49 [95% CI 2.65, 4.61]), depression (AOR 1.67 [95% CI 1.21, 2.29]), behavior or conduct problems (AOR 2.31 [95% CI 1.68, 3.17]), and other mental health conditions. Children with ASD + ADHD were significantly more likely to take psychotropic medication than children with ASD without ADHD. Among children with ASD + ADHD, males had higher odds of receiving behavioral treatment, whereas older children and adolescents were more likely to take psychotropic medication. A multidisciplinary approach is necessary to support the complex needs of these children.
Keywords: National Survey of Children's Health; attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; autism spectrum disorder; co-occurring ASD and ADHD; mental and behavioral disorders.
© 2023 International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Conflict of interest statement
Similar articles
-
Medication Use in Youth With Autism and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.Acad Pediatr. 2021 Mar;21(2):272-279. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2020.05.015. Epub 2020 May 31. Acad Pediatr. 2021. PMID: 32492579
-
Psychiatric Comorbidities and Psychotropic Medication Use in Autism: A Matched Cohort Study with ADHD and General Population Comparator Groups in the United Kingdom.Autism Res. 2018 Dec;11(12):1690-1700. doi: 10.1002/aur.2040. Epub 2018 Oct 31. Autism Res. 2018. PMID: 30380202
-
Prevalence and correlates of psychotropic medication use in adolescents with an autism spectrum disorder with and without caregiver-reported attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2011 Dec;21(6):571-9. doi: 10.1089/cap.2011.0057. Epub 2011 Dec 13. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2011. PMID: 22166171 Free PMC article.
-
Associations of Atopic Dermatitis with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Dermatology. 2024;240(1):13-25. doi: 10.1159/000533366. Epub 2023 Nov 8. Dermatology. 2024. PMID: 37939694
-
Practitioner Review: Pharmacological treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms in children and youth with autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2021 Jun;62(6):680-700. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.13305. Epub 2020 Aug 26. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2021. PMID: 32845025
Cited by
-
Racial and ethnic disparities in unmet need for mental health care among children: A nationally representative study.J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2024 Dec;11(6):3489-3497. doi: 10.1007/s40615-023-01801-4. Epub 2023 Sep 22. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2024. PMID: 37737936
-
Therapeutic Expedition of Luteolin against Brain-related Disorders: An Updated Review.Comb Chem High Throughput Screen. 2025;28(3):371-391. doi: 10.2174/0113862073303342240409060918. Comb Chem High Throughput Screen. 2025. PMID: 38659259 Review.
-
Developmental functional brain network abnormalities in autism spectrum disorder comorbid with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.Eur J Pediatr. 2025 Jan 31;184(2):166. doi: 10.1007/s00431-025-05989-x. Eur J Pediatr. 2025. PMID: 39888443
-
The Psychometric Properties of the Iranian Version of Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised (RBS-R) Questionnaire in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder.Health Sci Rep. 2025 Jul 9;8(7):e70984. doi: 10.1002/hsr2.70984. eCollection 2025 Jul. Health Sci Rep. 2025. PMID: 40636526 Free PMC article.
-
Anxiety, Depression, and Behavioural Problems Among US Children and Adolescents, 2016-2022.Infant Child Dev. 2025 Mar-Apr;34(2):e70008. doi: 10.1002/icd.70008. Epub 2025 Mar 27. Infant Child Dev. 2025. PMID: 40485976
References
-
- American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed. American Psychiatric Association.
-
- Aylward BS, Gal-Szabo DE, & Taraman S (2021). Racial, Ethnic, and Sociodemographic Disparities in Diagnosis of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 42(8). https://journals.lww.com/jrnldbp/Fulltext/2021/11000/Racial,_Ethnic,_and... - PMC - PubMed
-
- Bernard HR (2012). Social Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. SAGE Publications.
-
- Bryman A (2016). Social research methods. Oxford university press.