Abstract
Level and characteristics of intellectual function (IQ) have been associated with symptom presentation in children with autism spectrum disorder. The present study examined associations between IQ and autistic features in a sample of school aged boys and girls selected from a population-based cohort. The study included detailed examinations of 325 children aged 8–12 years, selected from the sample of the Bergen Child Study. IQ was assessed using the third version of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-III) and autistic features by parent reports on the Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ). Boys obtained higher ASSQ scores than girls. Gender and FSIQ had main effects on ASSQ scores, with the ASSQ scores showing a gradual decline with higher FSIQ for both genders. Discrepancies between verbal and performance IQ were relatively unrelated to ASSQ scores. The findings emphasize the importance of conducting careful assessments of children before reaching conclusions about cognitive function and autistic features.
Highlights
Mental disorders are prevalent in childhood, with rates ranging from 7 % to 15 % (Goodman, Slobodskaya, & Knyazev, 2005; Heiervang et al, 2007)
The results showed that the rate of children with chronic illness with a mental disorder was significantly higher than in their peers without chronic illness (OR = 2.04, 95 % CI: 1.11-3.77, p = .02), but this rate decreased as a function of higher Full scale IQ (FSIQ) level
FSIQ level had a corresponding significant main effect on the general level of functioning (CGAS) score, where the children with chronic illness showed a higher Children’s Global Assessment Scale (CGAS) score as a function of a higher FSIQ score. These relations between the FSIQ score and the two indicators of mental health were found in the group of peers, suggesting that the protective effect of a normal to high intellectual function was not restricted to children with chronic illness, but rather had a general effect on mental health in children
Summary
Mental disorders are prevalent in childhood, with rates ranging from 7 % to 15 % (Goodman, Slobodskaya, & Knyazev, 2005; Heiervang et al, 2007). A range of factors may be related to social functioning and mental health in children, and the presence of a chronic, physical illness is known to represent one such risk factor in childhood (Blackman & Conaway, 2013; Hysing, Elgen, Gillberg, Lie, & Lundervold, 2007; Martinez, Carter, & Legato, 2011; Pinquart & Shen, 2011; Pinquart & Teubert, 2012) This risk is shown to be high in the presence of an illness that directly affects the central nervous system (CNS) (Blackman & Conaway, 2013; Hysing, Elgen, Gillberg, & Lundervold, 2009; Martinez et al, 2011), commonly referred to as neurodevelopmental disorders. Neurodevelopmental disorders that co-exist with cognitive impairment, such as intellectual disability, is known to further increase the risk (Rutter, Yule, & Graham, 1970)
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