[Analysis of factors related to social functioning in school students with high-functioning pervasive developmental disorder].

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the factors related to social functioning in school students with high-functioning pervasive developmental disorder (HFPDD), we investigated speech delay in infancy, family history of pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), intelligence quotient (IQ), strength of PDD characteristics, age, age at diagnosis of PDD, and social adaptive functioning in students with HFPDD.

METHODS

Fifty-eight students with a diagnosis of HFPDD (IQ ≥ 85) were evaluated retrospectively. PDD characteristics were measured by the Pervasive Developmental Disorders Autism Society Japan Rating Scale (PARS), IQ was measured by the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition (WISC-III), and social adaptive functioning was measured by the Children's Global Assessment Scale (CGAS).

RESULTS

There was a negative correlation between age at diagnosis of PDD and the CGAS score. None of the other factors examined had any significant correlation with social functioning in students with HFPDD. Age at diagnosis of PDD whose social functioning was good was significantly low.

CONCLUSIONS

School students with HFPDD who are diagnosed with PDD earlier exhibit better social adaptive functioning.