Comparative differential study of comorbid symptomatic groups associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis

Abstract

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) make up a diagnosis characterized by a multifunctional neurocognitive disorder, based on a limited structure to perform nodal-synaptic interrelationships between the contents of learning. Likewise, this disorder may be associated with a set of comorbid symptom groups, which, regarding their intensity, may border with ASD main diagnosis and lead to basic errors that affect subsequent social- educational treatment. This study analyses most recurrent associated comorbid groups, as well as, if the presence of symptomatic comorbid groups is differential regarding group shape: normotypical and ASD groups. A total of 390 children participated in this study, 128 belonged to normotypical group and 262 did it to experimental group, subdivided into three levels of ASD. Results found through multivariate- test indicate that the whole dimension significantly affects group way intersection, age and sex (sig: .00). The post-hoc test analysis indicates this influence was differential regarding to the group type for the following dimensions: cognition, behaviour, psychoaffectivity, language and psychomotor disorder, while relative differences were not observed in specific- clinical dimension, where only epilepsy showed a differential result: no differences were found in general- clinic dimension. Lay abstract ASD´ diagnosis and treatment shows, to date, many weak points that need to be improved. Previous studies have shown how important is the psycho-educational component regarding ASD treatment, therefore it is necessary to understand the specific characteristics of the nuclear ASD diagnosis, in order to work out a specific therapy according to every single case. In the current study, we examined and analysed ASD patients as well as participants showing comorbid symptoms such as epilepsy, in order to show how these comorbidities can reach a very high level, leading to a confused and wrong ASD nuclear diagnosis. Therefore, it is essential to gain more insight into the specific diagnosis process, defining the ASD symptoms very precisely in order to develop more accurate and specific educational programs. This study contributes to the improvement in ASD diagnosis, providing a large number of participants in order to study the relation between several comorbid symptoms and its reliability as ASD indicative factors or not.