Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) present with heterogeneous levels of abilities and deficits. The identification of subgroups within a specific age range could be useful for understanding prognosis and treatment planning. We applied Hierarchical Clustering on Principal Components (HCPC) with a sample of 188 preschoolers with ASD and identified three distinct subgroups based on multiple developmental and behavioral domains. Cluster 1 was characterized by relatively high cognitive, language and adaptive abilities, and relatively low levels of social symptoms, repetitive behaviors, and sensory issues within the sample. Cluster 2 was characterized by similarly high cognitive, language and adaptive abilities compared to Cluster 1, but more severe social deficits as well as repetitive and sensory behaviors. Finally, Cluster 3 was characterized by lower cognitive, language and adaptive abilities, and more severe social, repetitive, and sensory symptoms. These findings provide insights into how considering multiple developmental and behavioral domains and core autism symptoms simultaneously can distinguish subgroups of young children with ASD and provide more comprehensive developmental profiles. Moreover, the unique profile of children in Cluster 2 highlighted the usefulness of including different measures and informants when evaluating the abilities and deficits of preschoolers with ASD and the importance of understanding the relationships among different developmental and behavioral factors in this specific population. Autism Res 2020, 13: 796–809. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

中文翻译：

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利用ASD探索学龄前儿童的发育和行为异质性：主成分的聚类分析。

自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）儿童表现出不同程度的能力和缺陷。确定特定年龄范围内的亚组可能有助于了解预后和治疗计划。我们对188名患有ASD的学龄前儿童进行了样本的主成分分层聚类（HCPC），并基于多个发展和行为领域确定了三个不同的亚组。聚类1的特征是相对较高的认知，语言和适应能力，以及相对较低的社会症状，重复性行为和样本中的感官问题。与聚类1相比，聚类2具有类似的高认知，语言和适应能力，但更严重的社会缺陷以及重复和感官行为。最后，类别3的特点是认知，语言和适应能力较低，并且社交，重复和感觉症状更为严重。这些发现提供了关于如何同时考虑多个发展和行为领域以及核心自闭症症状的见解，从而可以区分具有ASD的幼儿亚组并提供更全面的发展概况。此外，第2组中儿童的独特情况突出显示了在评估ASD学龄前儿童的能力和不足时，包括不同的措施和知情者的有用性，以及理解该特定人群中不同发展和行为因素之间关系的重要性。这些发现提供了关于如何同时考虑多个发展和行为领域以及核心自闭症症状的见解，从而可以区分具有ASD的幼儿亚组并提供更全面的发展概况。此外，第2组中儿童的独特情况突出显示了在评估ASD学龄前儿童的能力和不足时，包括不同的措施和知情者的有用性，以及理解该特定人群中不同发展和行为因素之间关系的重要性。这些发现提供了关于如何同时考虑多个发展和行为领域以及核心自闭症症状的见解，从而可以区分具有ASD的幼儿亚组并提供更全面的发展概况。此外，第2组中儿童的独特情况突出显示了在评估ASD学龄前儿童的能力和不足时，包括不同的措施和知情者的有用性，以及理解该特定人群中不同发展和行为因素之间关系的重要性。Autism Res 2020，13：796-809。©2020国际自闭症研究协会，Wiley Periodicals，Inc.。