Problem Behaviors in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Association with Verbal Ability and Adapting/Coping Skills

• Main Authors: Benevides, J. (Author), Beresford, C. (Author), Best, C. (Author), Bowen, K. (Author), Dechant, B. (Author), Erickson, C. (Author), Flis, T. (Author), for the Autism and Developmental Disorders Inpatient Research Collaborative (ADDIRC) (Author), Gabriels, R.L (Author), Gastgeb, H. (Author), Geer, A. (Author), Hagopian, L. (Author), Handen, B. (Author), Kaplan, D. (Author), Klever, A. (Author), Lubetsky, M. (Author), MacKenzie, K. (Author), Mazefsky, C. (Author), Mazefsky, C.A (Author), McGonigle, J. (Author), McGuire, K. (Author), McNeil, F. (Author), Meservy, Z. (Author), Montrenes, J. (Author), Morrow, E.M (Author), Palka, T. (Author), Pedapati, E. (Author), Pedersen, K.A (Author), Peura, C. (Author), Pierri, J. (Author), Righi, G. (Author), Rogers, C. (Author), Rossman, B. (Author), Ruberg, J. (Author), Sannar, E. (Author), Santangelo, S.L (Author), Siegel, M. (Author), Small, C. (Author), Stuckey, N. (Author), Troen, B. (Author), Tylenda, B. (Author), Verdi, M. (Author), Vezzoli, J. (Author), Williams, D. (Author), Williams, D.L (Author), Wink, L. (Author)
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Springer New York LLC 2018
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; adolescent; Adolescent; adult; aggression; anger; Article; autism; Autism inpatient collection (AIC); Autism Spectrum Disorder; Autism spectrum disorder (ASD); automutilation; Challenging behavior; child; Child; Child, Preschool; Communication; controlled study; coping behavior; Coping skills; correlation analysis; disease severity; female; Female; hospital patient; human; Humans; intelligence; intelligence quotient; irritability; language development; Language Development; Leiter International Performance Scale Third Edition; major clinical study; male; Male; preschool child; priority journal; problem behavior; Problem Behavior; Psychiatric inpatients; psychology; rating scale; Repetitive Behavior Scale Revised; stereotypy; verbal behavior; young adult; Young Adult
• Online Access: View Fulltext in Publisher
• ISBN: 01623257 (ISSN)
• DOI: 10.1007/s10803-017-3179-0

Data from the Autism Inpatient Collection was used to examine the relationship between problem behaviors and verbal ability, which have generally, though not universally, been highly associated. In a comparison of 169 minimally-verbal and 177 fluently-verbal 4 to 20-year-old psychiatric inpatients with ASD, the severity of self-injurious behavior, stereotyped behavior, and irritability (including aggression and tantrums) did not significantly differ, when controlling for age and NVIQ. Verbal ability was not strongly related to the severity of problem behaviors. However, lower adapting/coping scores were significantly associated with increasing severity of each type of problem behavior, even when accounting for verbal ability. Interventions to develop adapting/coping mechanisms may be important for mitigation of problem behaviors across the spectrum of individuals with ASD. © 2017, Springer Science+Business Media New York.