Stability of co-occurring psychiatric diagnoses in autistic men and women

Abstract Background Despite a high prevalence of psychiatric conditions in autistic adults, research examining the diagnostic stability of psychiatric conditions diagnosed prior to autism is limited. Method The present study examined the occurrence of (1) psychiatric diagnoses obtained before autism was diagnosed, (2) psychiatric conditions co-occurring with autism following its diagnosis, and (3) psychiatric conditions that were diagnosed before autism but no longer co-occurred with autism following its diagnosis. Participants (N = 1019, 51.5% female) provided information on psychiatric conditions predating their diagnosis of autism and psychiatric conditions co-occurring with autism. This information was combined to identify prior diagnoses that were no longer present post-autism diagnosis. Results Results showed that 50.2% of participants (62.7% of females and 37% of males) had at least one prior diagnosis. Mood and personality disorders were the most frequent prior diagnoses. Moreover, 59.3% (67% of females and 51% of males) reported having at least one diagnosis co-occurring with autism. Mood and anxiety disorders were the most frequent co-occurring diagnoses. Finally, 37.7% (47% of females and 27.3% of males) reported at least one previously diagnosed psychiatric condition that was no longer listed as a condition co-occurring with autism following its diagnosis. Personality disorders were most frequently no longer reported as diagnoses co-occurring with autism, despite being listed as prior diagnoses. Conclusions This study provides quantitative estimates of the temporal stability of specific psychiatric conditions before and after a diagnosis of autism in adults.