|
Abstract
|
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the characteristics of health-related risky behaviors in adolescents with High Functioning Autism(HFA).
METHODS: Fifty adolescents aged 12-18 years,IQ≥70 and meeting the criteria of autistic disorder in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of MentalD isorders,Fourth Edition(DSM-Ⅳ)and 50 age-and gender-matched healthy controls were recruited. The health-related risky behaviors of all subjects were assessed with the Adolescents Health-related Risky Behavior Inventory(AHRBI). The parents of autistic subjects completed the Adolescents Health-related Risky Behavior Inventory for Paren(tAHRBI-P).
RESULTS: HFA group had higher total scale score and four subscales' scores of AHRBI than controls,including Suicide and Self-Injury(SS),Health-Compromising Behavior(HCB),Aggression and Violence(AV)and Rule Breaking(RB)[e.g. Total Scores,49.5(39,81)vs. 47(38,60),P<0.05;SS scores,7(5,18)vs. 5(5,12),P<0.05]. HFA group had higher scores in the items of "Bully/Threaten/Intimidate partner", "Deliberately pushing and shoving others", "Do not drink milk/soy milk", "Do not participate in any form of physical activity", "Skip Class/Play truant", "Run away from home", "Bite/Scratch/Bump to hurt oneself" than controls[e.g. the scores of the item "Bully/Threaten/Intimidate partner",1(1,5)vs. 1(1,3),P<0.05]. Among all the subscales and items,the scores of HCB,SS, "Do not drink milk/soy milk", "Physical discomfort due to dieting", "Fighting and Arms-taking" and "Drinking" of selfassessment in HFA group were higher than those of parents' assessment[e.g. HCB scores,8(8,18)vs. 7(5,13),P<0.05].
CONCLUSION: The adolescents with HFA have more health-related risky behaviors than the healthy adolescents except for Smoking and Drinking(SD)and Unprotected Sex(US).
Language: zh |