Lower-functioning children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit significantly higher levels of cortisol, the primary stress hormone in humans, than both high-functioning children with ASD (HFASD) and typical children, according to researchers at the Institute for Autism Research (IAR) at Canisius College in New York State.
Previous research has found that people with ASD suffer from higher levels of stress and related issues, including anxiety. However, many of these studies have depended on informant rating scales and behavioral observations which have significant limitations for children with ASD.
Attempts to more directly gauge stress through physiological measures such as cortisol have offered mixed results. Some of the inconsistent results may have been due to the prior studies not taking into account the significant differences in functional levels of individuals with ASD, say the researchers.
[For more of this story, written by Traci Pedersen, go to http://psychcentral.com/news/2...ng-autism/85522.html]
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