Pender, R;
Fearon, P;
Heron, J;
Mandy, W;
(2020)
The longitudinal heterogeneity of autistic traits: A systematic review.
Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders
, 79
, Article 101671. 10.1016/j.rasd.2020.101671.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Previous reviews have characterised the mean stability of autistic traits (ATs) across samples on a single measure. However, no review has yet assessed mean change across a range of measures, or described the longitudinal heterogeneity of ATs, i.e. variation in direction and degree of change. METHOD: A systematic literature review was conducted using PubMed, PsycINFO and EMBASE up to May 31 2020. Forty-four studies meeting inclusion criteria were identified. RESULTS: Retrieved studies ranged from N = 20 to N = 9,744. Ages spanned one to 15 years at baseline and two to 23 years at follow-up. The proportion of female participants per study ranged from 0 to 51%. There is some evidence that overall ATs tend to reduce over time for autistic children, reflecting decreases in social communication difficulties but not restricted behaviours. This effect was strongest in clinical samples and using parent-report measures. However, there was good evidence that statistics of mean change obscure between-person differences in within-person change. Decreasing ATs appear linked to higher verbal and non-verbal IQ and female gender in autistic participants. Four patterns of change: increasing, decreasing and stable high and low best characterised the data. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals experience diverse patterns of change over time. More general population studies are needed to reduce male bias. More work is needed to characterise the relationship between trajectories and well-being, functioning and quality of life outcomes. This will help to understand factors that promote resilience and reduce risk, and therefore to improve the timing and targets of intervention.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | The longitudinal heterogeneity of autistic traits: A systematic review |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.rasd.2020.101671 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2020.101671 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher's terms and conditions. |
| Keywords: | Autism phenotype, Autism spectrum, Chronogeneity, Developmental trajectories, Heterogeneity, Latent class growth model, Neurodevelopment |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Div of Psychology and Lang Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Div of Psychology and Lang Sciences > Clinical, Edu and Hlth Psychology |
| URI: | https://discovery-pp.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10119662 |
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