Impact of multiple co-occurring emotional and behavioural conditions on children with autism and their families.

Background: Comorbid conditions are very common in children and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and can affect school performance, adaptive skills and peer relationships. Comorbid conditions place strain on the family as well as the individual with ASD. This project aimed to determine the affect of comorbid conditions over and above child and family characteristics.

Methods: The present authors examined 3,055 cases of children with ASD who had varying numbers of comorbid conditions (i.e., ADHD, depression, anxiety or behaviour problems).

Results: Multiple comorbid conditions did have a unique impact on difficulties accessing services. A greater number of comorbid conditions impacted daily activity participation, but not a family's receipt of mental health care or respite, work changes or number of weekly hours dedicated to caring for a child with ASD.

Conclusions: Families, practitioners, paraprofessionals and educators of children with autism should address comorbid conditions to ensure both child and family well-being.