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Background: Teenage youth with co-morbid intellectual disability (ID) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) could be at higher risk for behavioral and social difficulties than youth with ID only. Methods: Youth aged 13 years were diagnosed with ID (n = 37), ID/ASD (n = 26), or typical development (TD, n = 98). Mothers and teachers completed measures of youth behavior problems, mental health, social skills, friendships, and their own well-being. Results: ID/ASD youth were at heightened risk across almost all measures when compared with TD youth. On 14 of the 38 domains assessed, ID/ASD youth had significantly more difficulties than youth with ID only. Most notably, they scored higher on internalizing problems and lower on friendships and peer acceptance. Their mothers reported lower well-being for themselves. Conclusion: Compared to families of youth with ID only, youth with combined ID/ASD experienced greater psychological and social difficulties and their mothers experienced lower-well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examines the epidemiology of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) for children with intellectual disabilities (ID; n = 49), children with borderline intellectual functioning (BIF; n = 20), and typically developing children (TD; n = 115). The Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children was administered to mothers at child ages 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 years. Children with ID had consistently higher rates of ODD than TD children, whereas children with BIF had intermediate prevalence rates. The comorbidity of ODD with other disorders, especially attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, was elevated for children with ID. There were no group differences in gender, age of onset, or stability of ODD and all of the groups endorsed symptoms of ODD with the same relative frequency. Accordingly, the study findings generally support the assertion that ODD is the same disorder for children with and without ID. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]