Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder appear to experience high levels of psychological distress, yet little is known about the prevalence of psychological disorders in this population. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to estimate the proportion of these parents who experience clinically significant…

Since their separation as independent diagnostics, autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) have been conceptualized as mutually exclusive disorders. Similarities between both disorders can lead to misdiagnosis, especially when it comes to average-IQ adults who were not identified during childhood. The aim of this…

Schizophrenia is a chronic mental illness which poses a tremendous burden on the families, caregivers and the society. The purpose of this paper is to provide an updated review of the epidemiology of schizophrenia with a special attention to the clinically important risk factors such as drug abuse, hormonal factors and the new advances in genetic…

Background: Pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs) were originally conceptualised as a form of ("infantile") psychosis. Recently, the disorders have been viewed as separate constructs. However, there is evidence of overlapping psychopathology, pathophysiology, and occurrence of the two syndromes. Methods: A historical overview is provided. A…

The literature on schizophrenia in individuals with mental retardation is reviewed, and the clinical features, symptomatology, diagnostic parameters, and treatment approaches are briefly discussed. Data are presented about prevalence rates, degree of mental retardation, male/female distribution, and age of onset. (Author/PB)

This paper reviews the methodology in articles that have reported structural neuroimaging or neuropsychological data in adolescent patients with schizophrenia. Identification of methodological issues led to the finding that, at present, no conclusions can be made regarding the presence or absence of neuropsychologic dysfunction or structural…

Studies determining the prevalence of autistic children are reviewed. The findings of the survey, conducted in British Columbia in 1978 for the purpose of enumerating the children identified as autistic, psychotic, or schizophrenic, are presented. Among variables described are age, sex, school placement, manner of communication, and existence of…

This article explores the association of medical and psychiatric conditions with Asperger syndrome, based mainly on publications from the last two decades. It examines comorbidity of Asperger syndrome with mood disorders, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, tic disorders, violence and aggression,…

The paper analyzes research regarding the effects of sociocultural factors and the incidence of mental illness, particularly infantile autism and childhood schizophrenia. Among those topics reviewed are general sociocultural changes and vital statistics, perceptual and cognitive potential of the neonate, the importance of family networks for…