Skip to main content
Log in

Parental perception of behavioral symptoms in Japanese autistic children

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A diagnostic questionnaire was used to study the abnormalities that parents first noticed, the ages at which parents first noticed these early symptoms, and the main problems the parents complained about in the first consultation. In this study, parents of 141 autistic children below the age of 12 were employed. Approximately 71% of the parents noticed abnormalities m their autistic children by the age of 2 1/2 years. Parents of older autistic children tended more often to report symptoms of mental retardation, ritualistic behavior, and self-injury. This study showed that the Japanese peak of abnormal social behavior, including autistic symptoms as reported by parents, was from the ages of 3 years to approximately 9 years, compared with the U.S. and European peak of 3 to 6 years.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Reference

  • American Psychiatric Association. (1980).Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (3rd ed.) Washington, D.C.: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ando, H., & Yoshimura, I. (1979). Speech skill levels and prevalence of maladaptive behaviors in autistic and mentally retarded children: A statistical study.Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 10, 85–90.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ando, H., Yoshimura, I., & Wakabayashi, S. (1980). Effects of age on adaptive behavior levels and academic skill levels in autistic and mentally retarded children.Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 10, 173–184.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bartak, L., & Rutter, M. (1976). Differences between mentally retarded and normally intelligent autistic children.Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 6, 109–120.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chess, S., Thomas, A., & Birch, H. G. (1966). Distortion in developmental reporting made by parents of behaviorally disturbed children.Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry, 5, 226–235.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coplan, J. (1982). Parental estimate of child's developmental level in a high-risk population.American Journal of Diseases of Children, 136, 101–104.

    Google Scholar 

  • DeMyer, M. K. (1979).Parents and children. Washington, D.C.: Winston.

    Google Scholar 

  • DeMyer, M. K., Barton, S., DeMyer, W. E., Norton, J. A., Allen, J., & Steele, R. (1973). Prognosis in autism: A follow-up study.Journal of Austism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 3, 199–246.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freeman, B. J., Ritvo, E. R., Schroth, P. C., Tonick, I., Guthrie, D., & Wake, L. (1981). Behavioral characteristics of high- and low-IQ autistic children.American Journal of Psychiatry, 138, 25–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hart, H., Bax, M., & Jenkins, S. (1978). The value of a developmental history.Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 20, 442–452.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hingtgen, J. N., & Bryson, Q. S. (1972). Recent developments in the study of early childhood psychoses: Infantile autism, childhood schizophrenia, and related disorders.Schizophrenia Bulletin, 2, 114–126.

    Google Scholar 

  • Janicki, M. P., Lubin, R. A., & Friedman, E. (1983). Variations in characteristics and service needs of persons with autism.Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 13, 73–85.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kanner, L. (1943). Autistic disturbances of affective contact.Nervous Child, 2, 217–250.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kanner, L., & Eisenberg, L. (1955). Notes on the follow-up studies of autistic children. In P. H. Hoch & J. Zubin (Eds.),Psychopathology of childhood. New York: Grune and Stratton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lotter, V. (1974). Social adjustment and placement of autistic children: A follow-up study.Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 4, 11–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mesibov, G. B. (1983). Current perspectives and issues in autism and adolescence. In E. Schopler & G. B. Mesibov (Eds.),Autism in adolescents and adults. New York: Plenum Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, A., & Pounds, L. (1972). Repeat evaluations of retarded children.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 42, 103–109.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nagai, Y. (1983). The characteristics and mechanism of food preference in infantile autism.Japanese Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 24, 260–278.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ornitz, E. M., Guthrie, D., & Farley, A. H. (1977). The early development of autistic children.Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 7, 207–229.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ornitz, E. M., & Ritvo, E. R. (1976). The syndrome of autism: A critical review.American Journal of Psychiatry, 133, 609–621.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prior, M. R. (1974). Recognition of early signs of autism.Medical Journal of Australia, 2, 183.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ritvo, R. (Chairman). (1978). Definition of the syndrome of autism.Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 8, 162–167.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rumsey, J. M., Rapaport, J. L., & Screery, W. R. (1985). Autistic children as adults: Psychiatric, social, behavioral outcomes.Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry, 24, 465–473.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rutter, M. (1966). Prognosis: Psychotic children in adolescence and early adult life. In J. K. Wing (Ed.),Early childhood autism: Clinical, educational and social aspects. Oxford: Pergamon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rutter, M. (1970). Autistic children: Infancy to adulthood.Seminars in Psychiatry, 2, 435–450.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rutter, M. (1978). Diagnosis and definition of childhood autism.Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 8, 139–161.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rutter, M., Greenfield, D., & Lockyer, L. (1967). A five to fifteen year follow-up study of infantile psychosis. II. Social and behavioral outcome.British Journal of Psychiatry, 113, 1183–1199.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rutter, M., & Lockyer, L. (1967). A five to fifteen year follow-up study of infantile psychosis. I. Description of sample.British Journal of Psychiatry, 113, 1169–1182.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schopler, E., Reichler, R. J., DeVellis, R. F., & Daly, K. (1980). Toward objective classification of childhood autism: Childhood autism rating scale (CARS).Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 10, 91–103.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siverts, B. E., Jensen, L. L., Martinsen, H., & Sundet, J. M. (1982). Differences in use of the diagnostic category “Early Infantile Autism.”Acta Pedopsychiatrica, 48, 123–132.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wing, L. (1976). Diagnosis, clinical description and prognosis. In L. Wing (Ed.),Early childhood autism: Clinical, educational and social aspects (2nd ed.). Oxford: Pergamon Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ohta, M., Nagai, Y., Hara, H. et al. Parental perception of behavioral symptoms in Japanese autistic children. J Autism Dev Disord 17, 549–563 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01486970

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01486970

Keywords

Navigation