Browsing by Author "Parkkila, Minna"

Objectives: Autism spectrum disorder is characterized by social, communication, and behavioral deficits which are proposed to lie at the extreme end of a continuum of autistic traits. Milder manifestations of these traits are continuously distributed across the general population. A clear cut-off between subclinical traits and the clinical spectrum is found difficult to define. A broad range of early developmental abnormalities are associated with autism spectrum. Slow acquisition of social, language and motor skills are widely recognized in the clinical spectrum. This study aims to clarify if similar developmental difficulties is associated with milder autistic traits. Methods: This study is part of the Arvo Ylppö Longitudinal Study. The study cohort consisted from 2193 infants born between 1985 - 1986 in the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa. The majority of the cohort compromised of infants who needed to be admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit within 10 days of birth, and a smaller part of infants who were born between the same time period but did not need hospital care within 10 days of birth. The current sample was selected from participants who were assessed by Griffiths Mental Developmental Scales at the age of 20 months and who completed Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) at the follow-up between the ages of 24 - 27. Association between Griffiths sub-scales and autistic traits were analyzed using linear and logistic regression. Results and conclusions: An association was found between early social and language development and the amount of autistic traits at the follow-up in early adulthood. Lower performance in both sub-scales were associated with higher amount of autistic traits. No association were found between early fine or gross motor skills and autistic traits. The results indicates that early development of social and language skills are associated with mild autistic traits in adulthood in the general population.