Mental Health Disorders in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abstract

It has been well understood for some time that children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) experience high rates of behavior and emotional problems, but the past decade has seen a growing interest in the topic. There are obvious clinical reasons for this increased interest. These problems can negatively impact one's learning and daily activities and are associated wilh greater caregiver stress. The additional supports needed to manage these problems often translate to a greater psychological and financial burden on families. Long-term implications of psychopathology can include limited employment opportunities and difficulty integrating into the community. In this chapter, we focus on mental health problems in children with ASD. We use the term mental health problem synonymously with psychiatric syndrome and make a distinction with behavior problems. Psychiatric disorders are the syndromes seen in the general population and defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association (APA) 2013) such as mood or anxiety disorders, whereas behavior problems are those often seen in children with disabilities such as tantrums or aggression. The relationship between behavior and psychiatric problems is not well understood. Indeed, it is unclear if behavior problems are nonspecific signs of dysregulation or if they are associated with psychiatric disorders in recognizable and predictable ways. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)