Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and autism are characterized by the presence of repetitive behaviors. Differentiating between repetitive behaviors attributable to a diagnosis of autism, and those attributable to OCD, poses challenges for differential and co-occurring diagnosis. Differentiation is important to inform appropriate supports and…

Based on clinical experience, we hypothesized that rigid-compulsive behaviors are associated with severe constipation and co-occurring diarrhea or underwear staining in children with autism spectrum disorder. Using data from the Autism Treatment Network, we evaluated the association between these gastrointestinal symptoms and measures of rigid…

We examined data collected as a part of the Autism Treatment Network, a group of 15 autism centers across the United States and Canada. Mean Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) scores of the 286 children assessed were significantly lower than those of healthy populations (according to published norms). When compared to normative data from…