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. 2023 Jul 20:14:1092193.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1092193. eCollection 2023.

The mediating effect of mood spectrum on the relationship between autistic traits and catatonia spectrum

Liliana Dell'Osso  1 , Giulia Amatori  1 , Barbara Carpita  1 , Gabriele Massimetti  1 , Benedetta Nardi  1 , Davide Gravina  1 , Francesca Benedetti  1 , Chiara Bonelli  1 , Danila Casagrande  1 , Mario Luciano  2 , Isabella Berardelli  3 , Natascia Brondino  4 , Marianna De Gregorio  5 , Giacomo Deste  6 , Marta Nola  4 , Antonino Reitano  5 , Maria Rosaria Anna Muscatello  5 , Maurizio Pompili  3 , Pierluigi Politi  4 , Antonio Vita  6 , Mario Maj  2
Affiliations

The mediating effect of mood spectrum on the relationship between autistic traits and catatonia spectrum

Liliana Dell'Osso et al. Front Psychiatry. .

Abstract

Background: In the recent years, several studies have shown a correlation between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and catatonia. It is also known that both conditions are found to be associated with mood disorders. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between autistic traits and catatonic symptoms, as well as the potential mediating role of mood disorder spectrum in the relationship between them.

Methods: The total sample of 514 subjects was composed by four diagnostic groups, composed by patients affected by catatonia (CTN), borderline personality disorder (BPD), major depressive disorder (MDD) and healthy controls (HC). Subjects were assessed with the SCID-5-RV, the Adult Autism Subthreshold Spectrum (AdAS Spectrum) and the Catatonia Spectrum (CS) and the Mood Spectrum Self-Report (MOODS-SR). Statistical analyses included Pearson's coefficient calculation, multiple linear regression, and mediation analysis.

Results: all the correlations appear to be strongly positive and significant with the strongest coefficient emerging between AdAS Spectrum total score and CS total score (r = 0.762, p < 0.001). The Mediation Analysis showed that AdAS Spectrum total score showed a significant indirect effect on CS total score through MOODS-SR total score (b = 0.168, 95% bootstrapped CI [0.127:0.207]).

Conclusion: The present study highlights the presence of a mediating role of the mood disorder spectrum in the relationship between autistic traits and the catatonia spectrum.

Keywords: autism; autism spectrum; catatonia; catatonia spectrum; mood disorders; mood spectrum.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Mediation analysis results.
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