04-07-2018 | OriginalPaper
Presentation and Correlates of Hoarding Behaviors in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Comorbid Anxiety or Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms
Gepubliceerd in: Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders | Uitgave 12/2018
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We investigated the presentation and correlates of hoarding behaviors in 204 children aged 7–13 with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and comorbid anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms. Approximately 34% of the sample presented at least moderate levels, and with 7% presenting severe to extreme levels of hoarding. Child gender predicted hoarding severity. In addition, child ASD-related social difficulties together with attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder symptom severity positively predicted hoarding controlling for child gender and restricted and repetitive behaviors. Finally, child anxiety/OCD symptoms positively predicted hoarding, controlling for all other factors. These results suggest hoarding behaviors may constitute a common feature of pediatric ASD with comorbid anxiety/OCD, particularly in girls and children with greater social difficulties and comorbid psychiatric symptom severity.