Introduction: The primary aim of this retrospective study was to assess differential associations between sleep disturbances with externalizing/internalizing problems, ADHD profiles (inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity), and social impairment among children with ADHD, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and comorbid diagnoses (ASD+ADHD). Methods:…

Introduction: Current research findings in the field of intellectual disabilities (ID) regarding the relationship between mental health problems and challenging behavior are inconclusive and/or contradictory. The aim of this study was to further investigate the putative association between these two highly prevalent phenomena in people with ID,…

Introduction: Parents and their children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) are under significant amounts of stress (Lecavalier, Leone & Wiltz, 2006). When stress escalates to crisis, some children with IDD are admitted to the emergency department or an inpatient unit. While existing measures evaluate stress over time, we…

This article presents an individual intervention combining cognitive-behavioral and behavior-analytic approaches to target severe emotion dysregulation in verbal youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) concurrent with intellectual disability (ID). The article focuses on two specific individuals who received the treatment within a therapeutic…

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at an increased risk of mental health problems, with depression being one of the most common presenting issues. The current study used a diathesis-stress model to investigate stressors (parent distress and negative life events [NLE]) and vulnerabilities (youth age and intellectual functioning) as…

This descriptive study examines the complexity of psychiatric comorbidity in treatment-seeking youth with ASD and anxiety symptoms. Forty-two parents of youth with ASD and anxiety (ages 8-14) completed a structured diagnostic interview (Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version). Youth…

Social deficits are a hallmark characteristic among adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), yet few evidence-based interventions exist aimed at improving social skills for this population, and none have examined the maintenance of treatment gains years after the intervention has ended. This study examines the durability of the Program…

Parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have higher rates of depressive symptoms than parents of typically developing children and parents of children with other developmental disorders. Parental depressive symptoms are strongly associated with problem behaviors in children; however, the mechanisms through which parental…

Many children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) demonstrate facial emotion recognition and expression impairments. These impairments may contribute to social disability and may put children with ASDs at risk for developing further mental health problems. In this pilot study, we examined the use of a coach- and computer-assisted facial emotion…

Early detection of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is a prerequisite for early intervention. Questionnaires may offer a cost-effective alternative to clinician-led screening in identifying toddlers and preschoolers in primary-care settings requiring specialized ASD assessment. Parents of 97 children aged 16-60 months attending childcare centers…