Unpacking the Overlap between Autism and ADHD in Adults: A Multi-Method Approach

Lucy H. Waldren; Florence Y N  Leung; Luca D. Hargitai; Alexander P. Burgoyne; Van Rynalde T. Liceralde; Lucy Anne Livingston; Punit Shah

doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2023.12.016

Unpacking the Overlap between Autism and ADHD in Adults: A Multi-Method Approach

Lucy H. Waldren, Florence Y N Leung, Luca D. Hargitai, Alexander P. Burgoyne, Van Rynalde T. Liceralde, Lucy Anne Livingston, Punit Shah

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Citation (SciVal)

Abstract

The overlap between Autism and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is widely observed in clinical settings, with growing interest in their co-occurrence in neurodiversity research. Until relatively recently, however, concurrent diagnoses of Autism and ADHD were not possible. This has limited the scope for large-scale research on their cross-condition associations, further stymied by a dearth of open science practices in the neurodiversity field. Additionally, almost all previous research linking Autism and ADHD has focused on children and adolescents, despite them being lifelong conditions. Tackling these limitations in previous research, 5504 adults – including a nationally representative sample of the UK (Study 1; n = 504) and a large pre-registered study (Study 2; n = 5000) – completed well-established self-report measures of Autism and ADHD traits. A series of network analyses unpacked the associations between Autism and ADHD at the individual trait level. Low inter-item connectivity was consistently found between conditions, supporting the distinction between Autism and ADHD as separable constructs. Subjective social enjoyment and hyperactivity-impulsivity traits were most condition-specific to Autism and ADHD, respectively. Traits related to attention control showed the greatest Bridge Expected Influence across conditions, revealing a potential transdiagnostic process underlying the overlap between Autism and ADHD. To investigate this further at the cognitive level, participants completed a large, well-powered, and pre-registered study measuring the relative contributions of Autism and ADHD traits to attention control (Study 3; n = 500). We detected age- and sex-related effects, however, attention control did not account for the covariance between Autism and ADHD traits. We situate our findings and discuss future directions in the cognitive science of Autism, ADHD, and neurodiversity, noting how our open datasets may be used in future research.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	120-137
Number of pages	18
Journal	Cortex
Volume	173
Early online date	29 Jan 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2023.12.016
Publication status	Published - 30 Apr 2024

Funding

L.H.W. thanks Lois Player for her contribution to discussions about one measure, and the University of Bath's Research Computing Group (doi.org/10.15125/b6cd-s854) for their support. L.H.W. and L.D.H. are supported by doctoral studentships from the Economic and Social Research Council. All authors declare no conflict of interest. L.H.W. thanks Lois Player for her contribution to discussions about one measure, and the University of Bath's Research Computing Group (doi.org/10.15125/b6cd-s854) for their support. L.H.W. and L.D.H. are supported by doctoral studentships from the Economic and Social Research Council . All authors declare no conflict of interest.

Funders	Funder number
Economic and Social Research Council
University of Bath

Keywords

ADHD
Attention control
Autism
Network analysis
Neurodiversity

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology
Cognitive Neuroscience

Access to Document

10.1016/j.cortex.2023.12.016Licence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{db90cddd3fbe4d909ef6705e241a13ef,

title = "Unpacking the Overlap between Autism and ADHD in Adults: A Multi-Method Approach",

abstract = "The overlap between Autism and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is widely observed in clinical settings, with growing interest in their co-occurrence in neurodiversity research. Until relatively recently, however, concurrent diagnoses of Autism and ADHD were not possible. This has limited the scope for large-scale research on their cross-condition associations, further stymied by a dearth of open science practices in the neurodiversity field. Additionally, almost all previous research linking Autism and ADHD has focused on children and adolescents, despite them being lifelong conditions. Tackling these limitations in previous research, 5504 adults – including a nationally representative sample of the UK (Study 1; n = 504) and a large pre-registered study (Study 2; n = 5000) – completed well-established self-report measures of Autism and ADHD traits. A series of network analyses unpacked the associations between Autism and ADHD at the individual trait level. Low inter-item connectivity was consistently found between conditions, supporting the distinction between Autism and ADHD as separable constructs. Subjective social enjoyment and hyperactivity-impulsivity traits were most condition-specific to Autism and ADHD, respectively. Traits related to attention control showed the greatest Bridge Expected Influence across conditions, revealing a potential transdiagnostic process underlying the overlap between Autism and ADHD. To investigate this further at the cognitive level, participants completed a large, well-powered, and pre-registered study measuring the relative contributions of Autism and ADHD traits to attention control (Study 3; n = 500). We detected age- and sex-related effects, however, attention control did not account for the covariance between Autism and ADHD traits. We situate our findings and discuss future directions in the cognitive science of Autism, ADHD, and neurodiversity, noting how our open datasets may be used in future research.",

keywords = "ADHD, Attention control, Autism, Network analysis, Neurodiversity",

author = "Waldren, {Lucy H.} and Leung, {Florence Y N} and Hargitai, {Luca D.} and Burgoyne, {Alexander P.} and Liceralde, {Van Rynalde T.} and Livingston, {Lucy Anne} and Punit Shah",

year = "2024",

month = apr,

day = "30",

doi = "10.1016/j.cortex.2023.12.016",

language = "English",

volume = "173",

pages = "120--137",

journal = "Cortex",

issn = "0010-9452",

publisher = "Masson SpA",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Unpacking the Overlap between Autism and ADHD in Adults

T2 - A Multi-Method Approach

AU - Waldren, Lucy H.

AU - Leung, Florence Y N

AU - Hargitai, Luca D.

AU - Burgoyne, Alexander P.

AU - Liceralde, Van Rynalde T.

AU - Livingston, Lucy Anne

AU - Shah, Punit

PY - 2024/4/30

Y1 - 2024/4/30

N2 - The overlap between Autism and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is widely observed in clinical settings, with growing interest in their co-occurrence in neurodiversity research. Until relatively recently, however, concurrent diagnoses of Autism and ADHD were not possible. This has limited the scope for large-scale research on their cross-condition associations, further stymied by a dearth of open science practices in the neurodiversity field. Additionally, almost all previous research linking Autism and ADHD has focused on children and adolescents, despite them being lifelong conditions. Tackling these limitations in previous research, 5504 adults – including a nationally representative sample of the UK (Study 1; n = 504) and a large pre-registered study (Study 2; n = 5000) – completed well-established self-report measures of Autism and ADHD traits. A series of network analyses unpacked the associations between Autism and ADHD at the individual trait level. Low inter-item connectivity was consistently found between conditions, supporting the distinction between Autism and ADHD as separable constructs. Subjective social enjoyment and hyperactivity-impulsivity traits were most condition-specific to Autism and ADHD, respectively. Traits related to attention control showed the greatest Bridge Expected Influence across conditions, revealing a potential transdiagnostic process underlying the overlap between Autism and ADHD. To investigate this further at the cognitive level, participants completed a large, well-powered, and pre-registered study measuring the relative contributions of Autism and ADHD traits to attention control (Study 3; n = 500). We detected age- and sex-related effects, however, attention control did not account for the covariance between Autism and ADHD traits. We situate our findings and discuss future directions in the cognitive science of Autism, ADHD, and neurodiversity, noting how our open datasets may be used in future research.

AB - The overlap between Autism and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is widely observed in clinical settings, with growing interest in their co-occurrence in neurodiversity research. Until relatively recently, however, concurrent diagnoses of Autism and ADHD were not possible. This has limited the scope for large-scale research on their cross-condition associations, further stymied by a dearth of open science practices in the neurodiversity field. Additionally, almost all previous research linking Autism and ADHD has focused on children and adolescents, despite them being lifelong conditions. Tackling these limitations in previous research, 5504 adults – including a nationally representative sample of the UK (Study 1; n = 504) and a large pre-registered study (Study 2; n = 5000) – completed well-established self-report measures of Autism and ADHD traits. A series of network analyses unpacked the associations between Autism and ADHD at the individual trait level. Low inter-item connectivity was consistently found between conditions, supporting the distinction between Autism and ADHD as separable constructs. Subjective social enjoyment and hyperactivity-impulsivity traits were most condition-specific to Autism and ADHD, respectively. Traits related to attention control showed the greatest Bridge Expected Influence across conditions, revealing a potential transdiagnostic process underlying the overlap between Autism and ADHD. To investigate this further at the cognitive level, participants completed a large, well-powered, and pre-registered study measuring the relative contributions of Autism and ADHD traits to attention control (Study 3; n = 500). We detected age- and sex-related effects, however, attention control did not account for the covariance between Autism and ADHD traits. We situate our findings and discuss future directions in the cognitive science of Autism, ADHD, and neurodiversity, noting how our open datasets may be used in future research.

KW - ADHD

KW - Attention control

KW - Autism

KW - Network analysis

KW - Neurodiversity

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85186177913&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.cortex.2023.12.016

DO - 10.1016/j.cortex.2023.12.016

M3 - Article

SN - 0010-9452

VL - 173

SP - 120

EP - 137

JO - Cortex

JF - Cortex

ER -

Unpacking the Overlap between Autism and ADHD in Adults: A Multi-Method Approach

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this