Some social abilities cross ASD and ADHD, but not OCD, researchers find

Abstract

Repetitive behavior, inattention, social deficits, and hyperactivity — these traits are often identified, at varying levels, in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and obsessive‐compulsive disorder (OCD). While deficits in social information processing are known to be a core symptom of ASD, social deficits are also being found in other conditions, including ADHD and OCD. Researchers wanted to find out the extent to which deficits are specific for ASD. Children with ADHD have greater difficulty recognizing fear, sadness, and anger than typical children, researchers have found. Individuals with ASD have impairments in recognizing anger, fear, and surprise, and individuals with OCD have difficulty recognizing disgust and anger.