These analyses confirmed sustained teacher-reported improvement over a year-long follow-up period.

This article reports the findings of a study investigating rates and types of comorbid mental disorder evident in adolescentsand young adults with autism. A sample of 84 young people ( M = 19.5 years, SD = 4.6) with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR; American Psychiatric Association, 2000) autistic disorder participated in the study. Comorbid mental disorder was assessed through a semistructured comprehensive clinical interview with all participants and caregivers and supplemented by quantitative questionnaires. The results revealed that 42% of the young people with autism in the sample had an additional comorbid mental disorder, a rate 2 to 4 times that found among typically developing young people. All diagnoses were made according to DSM-IV-TR and International Classification of Diseases, 10th Edition criteria (ICD-10; World Health Organization, 1992). A range of mood (17%), anxiety (12%), adjustment (8%), and disruptive behavior (12%) disorders were diagnosed.

International audienceChildhood behavioral and emotional symptoms are linked with distress and dysfunction that may persist into adulthood. Effective and practical early prevention could make a significant contribution to the well-being of individuals and the functioning of communities. School-based targeted interventions are relatively easy and inexpensive to deliver and have been shown to reduce symptoms in the short term. The current study evaluates the 2- and 3-year outcome of targeted school-based drama group therapy (DGT) as compared to teaching maths and English. It shows a rapid decline in teacher-observed behavioral symptoms following DGT. By a year post intervention, symptom rates following both interventions converged and remained low throughout follow-up. Drama group therapy is rapidly effective in reducing symptoms. However, the findings also suggest that despite differing content, school-based small-group interventions are likely to share some effective components

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