Evaluation of Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently co-occurs with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders. Objectives: This study sought to quantify the prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in a population of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) aged 6 - 18 years. Methods: This cross-sectional study included children with ASD who were referred to the Psychiatry Department of Urmia Razi Hospital, affiliated with Urmia University of Medical Sciences, between March 2022 and October 2023. Demographic information about the children was collected using the Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for DSM-5-Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL). Results: Of the 120 patients, 78.3% were male and 21.7% were female, with a mean age of 11.3 ± 3.91 years. Thirteen patients met the diagnostic criteria for OCD, including 10 males (10.6%) and 3 females (11.5%), with a mean age of 12.92 ± 3.66 years. Twenty-one patients were diagnosed with GAD, comprising 17 males (18.1%) and 4 females (15.4%), with a mean age of 12.29 ± 3.70 years. No significant association was reported between age and OCD prevalence (P = 0.113) or GAD (P = 0.194); moreover, between OCD or GAD among male and female patients (P = 0.896 and P = 0.748, respectively). Conclusions: The prevalence of OCD among youth with ASD was found to be 10.8% (95% CI: 5.3% - 16.4%), while the prevalence of GAD was 17.5% (95% CI: 10.7% - 24.3%). The age and gender distribution of patients with OCD and GAD in this study was relatively equal. Logistic regression analysis confirmed that age and sex were not significant predictors of OCD or GAD in this cohort.