Are Aberrant Behavioral patterns associated with the adaptive behavior trajectories of teenagers with Autism Spectrum Disorders?

This study aims to identify Aberrant Behavioral (AB) patterns in adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and to examine if these patterns are associated to their adaptive behavior trajectories. The Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) was used to assess problems behaviors in a sample of 152 adolescents with ASD, whose adaptive behavior trajectories were described based on the Vineland communication and socialization scores. Clustering analyses were performed to identify AB patterns and univariate analyses to evaluate the association between AB patterns and adaptive behavior trajectories. We identified four clusters or AB patterns: (1) low scores in the ABC four domains, (2) high scores in irritability and hyperactivity, (3) medium scores in the four domains, and (4) medium level of irritability and high scores in stereotypy, lethargy and hyperactivity. These patterns were significantly linked to the adolescents' adaptive behavior trajectories. Most adolescents with a high trajectory (87%) were found in clusters 1 and 3, whereas adolescents with a low trajectory were equally distributed in the four clusters. Results suggest that while a high trajectory seems associated with a low level of AB, low trajectory is not necessarily associated with a high level of AB. Study limitations and clinical implications are discussed.