Question

Which of the following is true of autism spectrum disorder?

• Those suffering from this disorder are a diverse group, and their level of disability can be relatively mild to quite severe.
• Autism spectrum disorder can be associated with a single cause.

  Incorrect
• Autism spectrum disorder is usually associated with aging and is often observed in adults experiencing cognitive decline.
• The symptoms of autism spectrum disorder include trichotillomania but not skin picking.

Answer 1

The symptoms of autism spectrum disorder include trichotillomania but not skin picking.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and autism are both general terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development and are characterized by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviours.. Autism spectrum disorders are now recognized to occur in up to 1% of the population and to be a major public health concern because of their early onset, lifelong persistence, and high levels of associated impairment. Psychiatric comorbidity is common in ASD with one study finding that 24.7% of their study sample of autistic subjects had comorbidity with another disorder of Tourette syndrome, chronic tics, trichotillomania, enuresis, or encopresis.