Objectives: Describes the initial results of programmatic research into a biopsychosocial model of nosology and pathogenesis for ADHD in children with ASD that integrates biomarkers and mental health risk factors with functioning in home and school setting.
Methods: Children with ASD with and without ADHD, their parents, and teachers completed an extensive battery of measures about ADHD and co-occurring behavioral symptoms and psychosocial mental health risk factors and provided DNA samples (parents, child).
Results: Findings indicate that children with and without ADHD exhibit marked differences in co-occurring symptomatology and mental health risk factors as well as differences between ADHD subtypes. ADHD symptoms are associated with social and academic functioning. ADHD also appears to be a distinct behavioral syndrome from other disruptive behavior disorders. Several candidate genes appear to be potential biomarkers for ADHD.
Conclusions: Findings provide initial support for and ADHD syndrome in children with autism that evidences both similarities and differences with ADHD in nonASD samples.