Prevalence of comorbid psychiatric disorders among people with autism
spectrum disorder: An umbrella review of systematic reviews and
meta-analyses
Abstract
With ever-increasing prevalence of various mental disorders worldwide, a
comprehensive evaluation of the prevalence of co-occurring psychiatric
disorders among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is
needed to strengthen the knowledge base. This umbrella review aims to
summarize the current evidence on the prevalence of comorbid psychiatric
disorders among people with ASD. A systematic search of 12 major
databases and additional sources was conducted. Any systematically
conducted narrative, qualitative, or meta-analytic review reporting the
prevalence of psychiatric disorders among people with ASD with no age or
geographical restriction were included. From a total of 2755 records, 26
articles representing 14 systematic reviews and 12 meta-analyses met the
criteria of this review. The synthesized findings reveal a high burden
of comorbid psychiatric disorders among people with ASD, including
anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, bipolar and mood disorders,
schizophrenia spectrum, suicidal behavior disorders,
attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, disruptive, impulse-control
and conduct disorders amongst diverse age groups, with a majority in
younger participants. Most studies were conducted in developed nations,
with limited evidence from low and middle-income countries. These
synthesized findings provide high-quality evidence for clinical and
policy-level decision-making from a global overview of the status of
comorbid psychiatric disorders among people with ASD.