Table 1.
Demographic and clinical features of the participants.
| Partecipant characteristics | Total sample (n=174) | ASD (n=82) | TS (n=92) | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male (%) | 141 (81.0%) | 71 (86.6%) | 70 (76.1%) | 0.078 |
| Mean age (years) ± SD | 10.4 (± 2.6) | 11.2 (± 3.4) | 10.65 (± 2.8) | 0.2287 |
| Age of onset (mean ± SD) | 4.8 (± 2.5) | 2.76 (± 0.8) | 6.6 (± 2.1) | < 0.00001 |
| Age of diagnosis (mean ± SD) | 7.1 (± 2.99) | 5.2 (± 2.3) | 8.8 (± 2.5) | < 0.00001 |
| Echolalia | 71 (40.8%) | 61 (74.4%) | 10 (10.9%) | < 0.00001 |
| Coprolalia | 5 (2.9%) | 1 (1.2%) | 4 (4.3%) | 0.2176 |
| Palilalia | 7 (4.0%) | 3 (3.66%) | 4 (4.3%) | 0.817 |
| Self-injurious behaviors | 13 (7.5%) | 11 (13.4%) | 2 (2.2%) | 0.0049 |
| Family history (n, %) | ||||
| TS | 36 (20.7%) | 1 (1.2%) | 35 (38.04%) | < 0.00001 |
| OCD | 41 (23.6%) | 8 (9.8%) | 33 (35.9%) | 0.00005 |
| ADHD | 15 (8.6%) | 9 (10.98%) | 6 (6.5%) | 0.296 |
| Depression | 29 (16.7%) | 9 (10.98%) | 20 (21.7%) | 0.057 |
| Comorbid diagnosis (n, %) | 125 (71.8%) | 57 (69.5%) | 68 (73.9%) | 0.519 |
| + 1 comorbid diagnosis | 69 (39.66%) | 23 (28.05%) | 46 (50.0%) | 0.0031 |
| + 2 comorbid diagnosis | 36 (20.7%) | 18 (21.95%) | 18 (19.6%) | 0.698 |
| ≥ 3 comorbid diagnosis | 20 (11.5%) | 16 (19.5%) | 4 (4.3%) | 0.0017 |
| Comorbid diagnosis (n, %) | ||||
| OCD | 93 (53.4%) | 34 (41.5%) | 59 (64.1%) | 0.0028 |
| ADHD | 32 (18.4%) | 23 (28.05%) | 9 (9.8%) | 0.0019 |
| CD | 55 (31.6%) | 31 (37.8%) | 24 (26.1%) | 0.097 |
| Sleep disorders | 23 (13.2%) | 20 (24.4%) | 3 (3.3%) | 0.00004 |
SD, standard deviation. ASD, Autism Spectrum Disorder; TS, Tourette Syndrome; OCD, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; ADHD, Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder; CD, conduct disorder. p-values refer to Pearson’s chi-square tests in case of categorical variables (summarized by absolute and percent frequencies), and to Student’s t tests in case of quantitative variables (summarized by means and SD).