Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is characterized by variable neurobehavioral abnormalities, which leads to difficulties in developing and evaluating treatments and in determining accurate prognosis. We employed a pediatric cross-sectional sample (1,072 males, 338 females) from FORWARD, a clinic-based natural history study, to identify behavioral subtypes…

Elopement is a common and dangerous concern in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There is evidence that behavior analytic treatments can successfully treat elopement, but the research is limited due to small samples and treatment components varying across studies. The current study evaluated the feasibility of studying a manualized intervention for…

Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) is associated with repetitive and self-injurious behaviors (RBs, SIB). Evaluating children with CdLS, this study: (1) characterizes the spectrum of RBs; (2) characterizes the impact and severity of RBs including SIB; (3) describes how age and adaptive functioning relate to RBs including SIB. Fifty children…

Introduction: Diet and dietary interventions have drawn considerable attention in the literature as etiopathogenic factors and therapeutic approaches to Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), respectively. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of a gluten-free, casein-free (GFCF) diet on the alterations of behavior in children and…

Psychiatric hospitalization of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is common, but there is little comparative information available on different psychiatric hospital treatment models. Children with ASD ages 4-20 were enrolled upon admission to either a specialized (N = 53) or a general child psychiatric unit (N = 27). Caregivers completed…

Introduction: Although the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) is one of the most widely used behavioral rating scales among people with developmental disabilities, very few studies have examined the factor structure of the non-English versions. Methods: The construct validity of the Norwegian ABC was examined in a clinical sample of children and…

The association between aberrant behaviour and depression was examined in a sample of 150 young males with Autism Spectrum Disorder via parent ratings on the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) and the Major Depressive Disorder subscale of the Child and Adolescent Symptom Inventory (CASI-4-D). Although several subscales of the ABC were significantly…

The Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) is a widely used measure in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) treatment studies. We conducted confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses of the ABC in 1,893 children evaluated as part of the Autism Treatment Network. The root mean square error of approximation was .086 for the standard item assignment, and in…

Psychiatric hospitalization of children with autism spectrum disorder and/or intellectual disability is common, however, the effectiveness of this intervention is largely unknown. Thirty-eight clinically-referred children 8-19 years old admitted to a specialized inpatient psychiatry unit were assessed by a consistent caregiver on the Aberrant…

Rationale: An excitatory/inhibitory (E:I) imbalance marked by enhanced glutamate and deficient gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmission may contribute to the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Objectives: We report on the first single-blind placebo lead-in trial of acamprosate, a drug with putative mechanisms restoring E:I…

To advance clinical care and research in children with intellectual disability and autism there is a growing need for efficient means to measure behavioral severity and response to treatment. The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of telephone administration of the Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Irritability Subscale (ABC-I). The…

Efficacy and safety of 2 risperidone doses were evaluated in children and adolescents with autism. Patients (N = 96; 5-17 years), received risperidone (low-dose: 0.125 mg/day [20 to <45 kg], 0.175 mg/day [>45 kg] or high-dose: 1.25 mg/day [20 to <45 kg], 1.75 mg/day [>45 kg]) or placebo. Mean baseline (range 27-29) to endpoint change…

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) affect approximately 1 in 110 children in the United States. This report profiles fetal-brain reactive autoantibodies of a large cohort of mothers of children with autism and controls, yielding significant associations between the presence of IgG reactivity to fetal brain proteins at 37 and 73 kDa and a childhood…

The Research Units on Pediatric Psychopharmacology-Autism Network reported additional benefit when adding parent training (PT) to antipsychotic medication in children with autism spectrum disorders and serious behavior problems. The intent-to-treat analyses were rerun with putative predictors and moderators. The "Home Situations…

Objective: This study aims to examine the efficacy of atomoxetine in treating symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children with severe autistic disorder. Method: Children with severe autistic disorder who had symptoms of ADHD were given atomoxetine for 10 weeks. The efficacy of atomoxetine was evaluated by using the…