Network Approach to Autistic Traits: Group and Subgroup Analyses of ADOS Item Scores

• Published in: Journal of autism and developmental disorders Vol. 45; no. 10; pp. 3115 - 3132
• Main Authors: Anderson, George M., Montazeri, Farhad, de Bildt, Annelies
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.10.2015; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adolescent; Age Differences; Autism; Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule; Autism Spectrum Disorder - diagnosis; Autism Spectrum Disorders; Behavior; Behavior Problems; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Child; Child & adolescent psychiatry; Child and School Psychology; Child, Preschool; Correlation; Diagnostic Tests; Female; Foreign Countries; Gender Differences; Heterogeneous catalysis; Humans; Interaction; Male; Mental Retardation; Netherlands; Network Analysis; Networks; Neurosciences; Observation; Original Paper; Pediatrics; Pervasive Developmental Disorders; Phenotype; Psychiatry; Psychological Tests; Psychology; Psychopathology; Public Health; Research Methodology; Risk factors; Scores; Seizures; Severity (of Disability); Severity of Illness Index; Symptoms (Individual Disorders); Visualization; Netherlands; United States; Behavior; Network analysis; ADOS item scores; Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule
• ISSN: 0162-3257; 1573-3432
• DOI: 10.1007/s10803-015-2537-z

A network conceptualization might contribute to understanding the occurrence and interacting nature of behavioral traits in the autism realm. Networks were constructed based on correlations of item scores of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule for Modules 1, 2 and 3 obtained for a group of 477 Dutch individuals with developmental disorders. After combining Modules, networks were obtained and compared for male versus female, high- versus low-functioning, seizure versus non-seizure, autism spectrum disorder versus intellectual disability, and younger versus older subjects. The network visualizations and calculated network parameters provide new perspectives that generate new hypothesis and suggest follow-up studies. The approach should be useful in characterizing individuals and groups, in elucidating mechanisms of trait generation and routes to outcome phenotypes, and in suggesting points of intervention.