Peer-reviewed article
Timing of childhood adversity and cognitive profiles in adults with autism spectrum disorder.
Ishida R, Yamamuro K, Toritsuka M, Takeda T, Tamakoshi H et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This peer-reviewed study examined whether the timing of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) affects intellectual ability in 161 adults with autism spectrum disorder. Researchers found that adults who experienced ACEs in early childhood (age 10 and under) performed better on certain cognitive subtests than those who experienced ACEs during adolescence (ages 11-18), even after accounting for post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. The study suggests that early adversity exposure may be associated with distinct cognitive profiles in autistic adults.
Key points
- Adults with early childhood ACEs outperformed those with adolescent ACEs on picture completion and figure weights subtests
- Early ACE group had higher PTSD symptom severity including hypervigilance than adolescent ACE group
- Differences in cognitive performance remained significant after controlling for education and PTSD symptoms
- Study involved 161 adults with ASD without intellectual disability
- Picture completion and figure weights subtests may serve as markers for cognitive adaptations associated with early adversity
Limitations
This study only examines associations and cannot establish causation. The research focuses on adults with autism without intellectual disability, so findings may not generalize to autistic individuals with co-occurring intellectual disability or other developmental profiles.
Abstract
Background This study examined whether the timing of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is associated with differences in intellectual ability in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) without intellectual disability. Methods A total of 161 adults with ASD were categorized into three groups based on ACE onset: no ACEs (Group 0), early childhood ACEs (≤ 10 years; Group 1), and adolescent ACEs (11-18 years; Group 2). Intellectual ability was assessed using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV). Results Findings revealed that Group 1 outperformed Group 2 on the picture completion and figure weights subtests, suggesting that early ACE exposure may be linked to distinct cognitive profiles in ASD. To account for the higher severity of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, including hypervigilance, in Group 1 compared to Group 2, we conducted multivariate analyses of covariance and logistic regression to control for potential confounders such as years of education and PTSD symptom severity, given that hypervigilance may influence cognitive task performance. However, the observed differences remained significant. Conclusion These results suggest a potential association between the timing of ACE exposure and specific cognitive subdomains in adults with ASD. Furthermore, WAIS-IV subtests, particularly picture completion and figure weights, may serve as potential markers for identifying cognitive adaptations associated with early adversity in ASD individuals. Clinical trial registration Since this study was not a clinical trial, this section does not apply.