TY - JOUR
T1 - Social relationship difficulties in autism and reactive attachment disorder: Improving diagnostic validity through structured assessment.
AU - Davidson, Claire
AU - O'Hare, Anne
AU - Mactaggart, Fiona
AU - Green, Jonathan
AU - Young, David
AU - Gillberg, Christopher
AU - Minnis, Helen
PY - 2015/5
Y1 - 2015/5
N2 - BACKGROUND: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) versus Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) is a common diagnostic challenge for clinicians due to overlapping difficulties with social relationships. RAD is associated with neglect or maltreatment whereas ASD is not: accurate differential diagnosis is therefore critical. Very little research has investigated the relationship between the two, and it is unknown if standardised measures are able to discriminate between ASD and RAD. The current study aimed to address these issues. METHODS: Fifty eight children with ASD, and no history of maltreatment, were group matched on age with 67 children with RAD. Group profiles on multi-informant measures of RAD were investigated and group differences explored. Discriminant function analysis determined assessment features that best discriminated between the two groups. RESULTS: Although, according to parent report, children with ASD presented with significantly fewer indiscriminate friendliness behaviours compared to the RAD group (p
AB - BACKGROUND: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) versus Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) is a common diagnostic challenge for clinicians due to overlapping difficulties with social relationships. RAD is associated with neglect or maltreatment whereas ASD is not: accurate differential diagnosis is therefore critical. Very little research has investigated the relationship between the two, and it is unknown if standardised measures are able to discriminate between ASD and RAD. The current study aimed to address these issues. METHODS: Fifty eight children with ASD, and no history of maltreatment, were group matched on age with 67 children with RAD. Group profiles on multi-informant measures of RAD were investigated and group differences explored. Discriminant function analysis determined assessment features that best discriminated between the two groups. RESULTS: Although, according to parent report, children with ASD presented with significantly fewer indiscriminate friendliness behaviours compared to the RAD group (p
KW - Autism spectrum disorder
KW - Differential diagnosis
KW - Indiscriminate friendliness
KW - Observation
KW - Reactive attachment disorder
KW - Social relationships
U2 - 10.1016/j.ridd.2015.01.007
DO - 10.1016/j.ridd.2015.01.007
M3 - Article
C2 - 25754456
SN - 1873-3379
VL - 40
JO - Research in developmental disabilities
JF - Research in developmental disabilities
ER -