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Characteristics Associated with Presence of Depressive Symptoms in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

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Abstract

Evidence suggests that individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often exhibit associated psychiatric symptoms, particularly related to depression. The current study investigated whether individual characteristics, specifically, severity of ASD symptoms, level of cognitive ability, and/or presence of other psychiatric disorders, are associated with occurrence of depressive symptoms in adults with ASD. Forty-six adults with ASD were administered a standardized psychiatric history interview. Twenty participants (43%) endorsed depressive symptoms. It was found that individuals with less social impairment, higher cognitive ability, and higher rates of other psychiatric symptoms, were more likely to report depressive symptoms. These characteristics may be vulnerability factors for the development of depression, and should be considered when screening and treating adults with ASD.

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Acknowledgments

We wish to thank the individuals who participated in this study. This research was funded by grants from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (U19HD34565, P50HD066782, and R01HD-55741) and the National Institute of Mental Health (U54MH066399).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UW Autism Center, Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Lindsey Sterling, Geraldine Dawson & Jessica Greenson

  2. UW Autism Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Lindsey Sterling

  3. Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UW Autism Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Geraldine Dawson & Annette Estes

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  1. Lindsey Sterling
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  2. Geraldine Dawson
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  3. Annette Estes
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  4. Jessica Greenson
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Correspondence to Geraldine Dawson.

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Sterling, L., Dawson, G., Estes, A. et al. Characteristics Associated with Presence of Depressive Symptoms in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 38, 1011–1018 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-007-0477-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-007-0477-y

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