Hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis associations with self- vs. parent- ratings of depression in boys with an autism spectrum disorder

Title
Hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis associations with self- vs. parent- ratings of depression in boys with an autism spectrum disorder
Publication Date
2016
Author(s)
Bitsika, Vicki
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2518-6684
Email: vbitsik2@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:vbitsik2
Sharpley, Christopher
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7922-4848
Email: csharpl3@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:csharpl3
Andronicos, Nicholas
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5881-2296
Email: nandroni@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:nandroni
Agnew, Linda
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2803-0995
Email: lagnew2@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:lagnew2
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Place of publication
Germany
DOI
10.1515/ijdhd-2014-0030
UNE publication id
une:20461
Abstract
Background: Depression can be a major comorbidity in young people with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although there is an association between major depressive disorder (MDD) and cortisol concentrations in non-ASD children, relatively little is known about that relationship in children with an ASD, or whether there are development effects on the relationship. It is also unclear whether self-reports or parents' reports of depression in these children are more closely associated with cortisol. Methods: Salivary cortisol from morning and afternoon, plus Child and Adolescent Symptom Inventory responses for MDD, were collected from a sample of 139 boys with an ASD. Parents of these boys also provided ratings of their sons on the Child and Adolescent Symptom Inventory for MDD. Results: Afternoon cortisol was significantly correlated with total depression scores for younger boys but not for older boys. There were also significant differences between the parents' and the boys' ratings for five of the 10 MDD symptoms. Parents' ratings of their sons' MDD symptoms of irritability, feeling sad or depressed, and sleeping problems were significantly correlated with the boys' cortisol concentrations. Both boys' and their parents' ratings for thoughts of death, feeling worthless, and concentration problems were significantly associated with the boys' cortisol concentrations. Conclusion: A reliable assessment of MDD in young people with an ASD requires careful consideration of the relative validity of parents' and children's reports of the latter's individual MDD symptomatology.
Link
Citation
International Journal on Disability and Human Development, 15(1), p. 69-75
ISSN
2191-0367
2191-1231
Start page
69
End page
75

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