Physical aggression in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders

Aggression is a clinically significant problem for many children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, there have been few large-scale studies addressing this issue. The current study examined the prevalence and correlates of physical aggression in a sample of 1584 children and adolescents with ASD enrolled in the Autism Treatment Network. The prevalence of aggression was 53%, with highest prevalence among young children. Aggression was significantly associated with a number of clinical features, including self-injury, sleep problems, sensory problems, GI problems, communication and social functioning. In multivariate models, self-injury, sleep problems, and sensory problems were most strongly associated with aggression. The results indicate that aggression is markedly prevalent, and clinical implications and directions for future research are discussed. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.