Psychiatric symptoms and behavioral disorders are frequently documented in people with ASD: about two-thirds of them are indeed reported to have at least one associated mental health condition ( 1). The detection of behavioral and emotional problems allows children with ASD to undergo specific and individualized treatment that takes into account their psychopathological problems.Īutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts as well as restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities ( 1). However, higher CBCL Total Problems scores were found in older children and in children with lower cognitive abilities. No correlation was found between CBCL scores and indices of ASD severity. The results show that around 30% of participants with ASD exhibited internalizing problems and only 6% externalizing problems, with males exhibiting more internalizing problems than females.
The aim of the present study was to verify whether emotional, behavioral, and social problems were modulated by ASD symptom severity, cognitive development, gender, and age by analyzing the CBCL in a large group of children and adolescents with ASD. The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) provides valid and well-established measures of emotional, behavioral, and social problems in children and adolescents.
Child and Adolescence Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Children Hospital Bambino Gesù, Rome, ItalyĪutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by psychiatric and behavioral comorbidities.Silvia Guerrera Deny Menghini Eleonora Napoli Silvia Di Vara Giovanni Valeri Stefano Vicari *