Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are noted to be at an increased risk for developing comorbid psychiatric conditions. Little is known about the emergence and etiology of comorbid conditions in ASD. We investigated if this pattern of comorbidity can be detected in those with ASD at an early age. Two-hundred and sixty-nine atypically developing toddlers classified as ASD (n= 109) or non-ASD (n= 160) were studied using the Baby and Infant Screen for aUtlsm Traits-Part 2 {BISCUIT-Part 2). Participants were divided into four age groups: 12-18 months, 19-24 months, 25-31 months, and 32-39 months. A factorial MANOVA was used to assess age and diagnostic group differences on BISCUIT-Part 2 domains. A general trend emerged where toddlers with ASD appeared to have more severe symptoms than atypically developing non-ASD toddlers with there being an increasing trend of comorbid behaviors as age increased. Results and implications are discussed.
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