Autism Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Autism, including details on symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, causes, effects.

Obsessions and compulsions in Asperger syndrome and high-functioning autism.

Russell AJ, Mataix-Cols D, Anson M, Murphy DG

Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College, London, UK. a.russell@iop.kcl.ac.uk

BACKGROUND: Obsessive-compulsive behaviours are common and disabling in autistic-spectrum disorders (ASD) but little is known about how they compare with those experienced by people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). AIM: To make such a comparison. METHOD: A group of adults with high-functioning ASD (n=40) were administered the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale and Symptom Checklist and their symptoms compared with a gender-matched group of adults with a primary diagnosis of OCD (n=45). OCD symptoms were carefully distinguished from stereotypic behaviours and interests usually displayed by those with ASD. RESULTS: The two groups had similar frequencies of obsessive-compulsive symptoms, with only somatic obsessions and repeating rituals being more common in the OCD group. The OCD group had higher obsessive-compulsive symptom severity ratings but up to 50% of the ASD group reported at least moderate levels of interference from their symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Obsessions and compulsions are both common in adults with high-functioning ASD and are associated with significant levels of distress.

Published 1 June 2005 in Br J Psychiatry, 186: 525-8.
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