Investigating Variables as Risk Factors for Mental Health Conditions Among Autistic Individuals With and Without Genetic Etiologies

Abstract

This thesis compares mental health outcomes among autistic individuals with and without genetic events. Literature shows that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is not only highly heritable but is often diagnosed with many co-occurring psychiatric medical conditions, resulting in an additive effect on the functional impairment of an individual. Copy number variants such as 16p11.2 and 22q11.2 are linked to increased ASD susceptibility and other mental health conditions. Exploring the genetic basis of ASD and co-occurring psychiatric health outcomes can strengthen our knowledge of this complex condition and potentially better clinical outcomes for those with ASD. This study includes data from the Simons Foundation Powering Autism Research (SPARK) Study DNA biobank. It uses logistic regression to investigate how variables like sex assigned at birth, age, and age of ASD diagnosis affect the relationship between ADHD, depression, and anxiety and the presence of an ASD related-genetic event.