Factoren geassocieerd aan agressiviteit en verwante gedragsproblemen bij kinderen en adolescenten met ASS: een grondige review

Factors associated with externalizing challenging behaviour in children and adolescents with ASD: a systematic review Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental syndrome with a high prevalence of comorbid challenging behaviours. Externalizing challenging behaviours are known to have a negative prognostic impact on children with ASD and their caregivers. Studies have shown several risk factors for externalizing challenging behaviours in the typically developing population. Less is known about the risk factors for children with ASD. The databases PubMed, Embase and Web of Science Core Collection were systematically searched. A systematic analysis of the selected articles was performed. A total of 95 studies were found. Despite the multitude of withheld articles, only a few factors showed to be clearly associated with externalizing challenging behaviour in children with ASD. The studies in this review mainly investigate cross-sectional and some prognostic associations, and often find conflicting results. Consequently, the authors cannot make strong statements about possible direct causal relationships of the studied factors with externalising behavioural problems. Nevertheless, they emphasize some possible implications for clinical practice. First, more attention should be paid to the adaptive skills of children with ASD. In addition, they underline the importance of systematic screening regarding the severity of the rigidity, encouraging flexibility and learning to cope with change. Furthermore, it is crucial to diagnose and treat ADHD and sleep disorders. Finally, the results mark the importance of early detection and intervention of contextual factors.