Brewe Alexis M, Simmons Grace Lee, Capriola-Hall Nicole N, White Susan W
The University of Alabama, USA.
Autism. 2020 Aug;24(6):1373-1383. doi: 10.1177/1362361319900422. Epub 2020 Feb 7.
Adults with autism spectrum disorder often experience a range of co-occurring mental health problems such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity-disorder, as well as difficulties with executive function. Sluggish cognitive tempo, a cluster of behaviors including slow processing, daydreaming, and mental fogginess, has been shown to be associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity-disorder, and limited research has suggested that individuals with autism spectrum disorder may experience sluggish cognitive tempo. We examined co-occurring mental health problems and executive function in 57 young adults with autism spectrum disorder, aged 16-25 years to better understand sluggish cognitive tempo in autism spectrum disorder. Parents of the young adults answered questions about their children's sluggish cognitive tempo, attention-deficit/hyperactivity-disorder, depression, and anxiety symptoms, and the young adults completed tests of their executive function. Results demonstrated that nearly one-third of the sample exhibited clinically impairing levels of sluggish cognitive tempo. Although sluggish cognitive tempo and attention-deficit/hyperactivity-disorder symptoms were related, our findings suggest they are not the same constructs. Increased sluggish cognitive tempo is related to more difficulties with executive function and increased depression, but not anxiety symptoms. Results demonstrate that sluggish cognitive tempo may pose heightened difficulties for adults with autism spectrum disorder, making it an important construct to continue studying. Considerations for assessment and long-term impacts of sluggish cognitive tempo for adults with autism spectrum disorder are discussed.
患有自闭症谱系障碍的成年人经常会出现一系列共病的心理健康问题，如注意力缺陷多动障碍，以及执行功能方面的困难。认知速度迟缓是一组包括处理速度慢、白日梦和思维模糊等行为，已被证明与注意力缺陷多动障碍有关，而且有限的研究表明，患有自闭症谱系障碍的个体可能会经历认知速度迟缓。我们对57名年龄在16至25岁之间的患有自闭症谱系障碍的年轻人的共病心理健康问题和执行功能进行了研究，以更好地了解自闭症谱系障碍中的认知速度迟缓。这些年轻人的父母回答了关于他们孩子的认知速度迟缓、注意力缺陷多动障碍、抑郁和焦虑症状的问题，这些年轻人完成了他们的执行功能测试。结果表明，近三分之一的样本表现出临床水平的认知速度迟缓。虽然认知速度迟缓与注意力缺陷多动障碍症状有关，但我们的研究结果表明它们不是相同的概念。认知速度迟缓的增加与执行功能方面更多的困难以及抑郁的增加有关，但与焦虑症状无关。结果表明，认知速度迟缓可能给患有自闭症谱系障碍的成年人带来更大的困难，使其成为一个值得继续研究的重要概念。本文还讨论了对患有自闭症谱系障碍的成年人认知速度迟缓的评估考量及其长期影响。
