Autistic traits in childhood and post-traumatic stress disorder as young adults: a cohort study.

IF 6.5 1区医学 Q1 PSYCHIATRY

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry Pub Date : 2025-03-25 DOI:10.1111/jcpp.14163

Alice M G Quinton, Freya Rumball, Angelica Ronald, Helen L Fisher, Louise Arseneault, Francesca Happé, Andrea Danese

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background: Despite the higher prevalence of childhood traumatic experiences and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in autistic adults, research on trauma-related psychopathology and autistic traits in young people is lacking. This study examined if high autistic traits in childhood predispose individuals to traumatic experiences, the development of PTSD and general psychopathology, and greater functional impairment by age 18, in both the general population and a subsample of trauma-exposed young people.

Methods: Data were utilised from the Environmental Risk (E-Risk) Longitudinal Twin Study, a nationally representative cohort of 2,232 same-sex twins born in 1994-1995 across England and Wales. Participants were a subset of children whose parents completed the Childhood Autism Spectrum Test (CAST), during assessments at ages 8, 9 and/or 12 years (N = 1,504). We tested associations between autistic traits in childhood and age-18 reports of lifetime trauma exposure, lifetime PTSD diagnosis, general psychopathology ('p-factor') and NEET status ('not in employment, education or training'). Analyses were conducted controlling for sex, family socioeconomic status (SES), intelligence quotient (IQ) and accounting for family clustering.

Results: Higher autistic traits in childhood were significantly associated with greater reports of lifetime trauma exposure (Odd Ratio [OR] = 1.26, 95% Confidence Intervals [CI] = 1.03; 1.54), lifetime PTSD diagnosis (OR = 1.91, 95% CI = 1.29; 2.82), general psychopathology (beta = 3.22, 95% CI = 1.84; 4.60) and NEET status (OR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.05; 2.09) at age 18. Only the associations of autistic traits with PTSD and general psychopathology were robust to adjustment for potential confounders. Among trauma-exposed children, autistic traits were also significantly associated with lifetime PTSD diagnosis (OR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.15; 2.68) and psychopathology (beta = 3.36, 95% CI = 0.68; 6.04) at age 18, but only the association with PTSD held when adjusted for confounders.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest a need to develop targeted assessments and evidence-based treatments for PTSD to meet the needs of children with high autistic traits. However, whether our findings extend to diagnosed autistic children requires further investigation.

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来源期刊

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 医学-精神病学

CiteScore

13.80

自引率

5.30%

发文量

169

审稿时长

1 months

期刊介绍： The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry (JCPP) is a highly regarded international publication that focuses on the fields of child and adolescent psychology and psychiatry. It is recognized for publishing top-tier, clinically relevant research across various disciplines related to these areas. JCPP has a broad global readership and covers a diverse range of topics, including: Epidemiology: Studies on the prevalence and distribution of mental health issues in children and adolescents. Diagnosis: Research on the identification and classification of childhood disorders. Treatments: Psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacological interventions for child and adolescent mental health. Behavior and Cognition: Studies on the behavioral and cognitive aspects of childhood disorders. Neuroscience and Neurobiology: Research on the neural and biological underpinnings of child mental health. Genetics: Genetic factors contributing to the development of childhood disorders. JCPP serves as a platform for integrating empirical research, clinical studies, and high-quality reviews from diverse perspectives, theoretical viewpoints, and disciplines. This interdisciplinary approach is a key feature of the journal, as it fosters a comprehensive understanding of child and adolescent mental health. The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry is published 12 times a year and is affiliated with the Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health (ACAMH), which supports the journal's mission to advance knowledge and practice in the field of child and adolescent mental health.