Dig Liver Dis. 2024 Jun 7:S1590-8658(24)00777-1. doi: 10.1016/j.dld.2024.05.019. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often struggle with gastrointestinal symptoms, implicating alterations of the gut-microbiota-brain axis, which has also been linked to sensory reactivity, pain, and gastro-intestinal symptoms in ASD. To better understand the prevalence and impact of gastrointestinal symptoms among individuals with ASD, a measure is needed that adhere to the Rome IV criteria of gastrointestinal symptoms and is applicable to individuals with ASD. The Gastrointestinal Symptom Severity Scale (GSSS) is a new assessment tool designed to match this need.
METHODS: In a diverse sample of 265 individuals with ASD (mean age = 9.44, SD = 4.99), we examined the psychometric properties of the GSSS, the prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms and associations with ASD traits, sensory sensitivity, repetitive behaviors, and pain.
RESULTS: A unidimensional factor structure of the GSSS was confirmed and the measure showed good internal consistency, adequate test-retest reliability and strong convergent validity. Around a third of the participants evidenced clear difficulties with gastrointestinal symptoms and gastrointestinal symptoms were strongly associated with more pronounced ASD traits, sensory reactivity, and repetitive behaviors.
CONCLUSIONS: The GSSS shows promise as a useful measure to analyze the prevalence, severity, and impact of gastro-intestinal symptoms in individuals with ASD.
PMID:38851976 | DOI:10.1016/j.dld.2024.05.019
