Abstract
To examine the validity of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) as a clinical phenotype distinct from attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), parents and teachers completed a DSM-IV-referenced rating scale and a background questionnaire for 608 children (ages 3–12 years) with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The ASD sample was separated into four groups: ODD, ADHD, ODD + ADHD, and neither (NONE). Comparison samples were non-ASD clinic (n = 326) and community (n > 800) controls. In the ASD sample, all three ODD/ADHD groups were clearly differentiated from the NONE group, and the ODD + ADHD group had the most severe co-occurring symptoms, medication use, and environmental disadvantage. There were few differences between ASD + ODD and ASD + ADHD groups. Findings for ASD and control samples were similar, supporting overlapping mechanisms in the pathogenesis of ODD.
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Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank Dr. John Pomeroy for his role in the diagnostic evaluations. This study was supported, in part, by a grant from the Matt and Debra Cody Center for Autism and Developmental Disorders and a Temple University Summer Research Award to Dr. Drabick.
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Gadow, K.D., DeVincent, C.J. & Drabick, D.A.G. Oppositional Defiant Disorder as a Clinical Phenotype in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 38, 1302–1310 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-007-0516-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-007-0516-8