Table 4 Characteristics by latent class for children on the autism spectrum in the Australian Autism Biobank: four class model

N

220

83

259

192

754

Age (y), mean (SD)

6.5 (3.5)

5.9 (3.2)

8.1 (4.0)

8.4 (3.9)

7.5 (3.8)

Sex (n)

Male

172

78.2%

72

86.7%

207

79.9%

144

75.0%

595

78.9%

Female

48

21.8%

11

13.3%

52

20.1%

48

25.0%

159

21.1%

Developmental, dimensional and diagnostic interview (3di) scores of core autism traits (mean, SD)

 Difficulties with social-emotional reciprocity (range 0–2)

0.8 (0.3)

1.4 (0.2)

0.9 (0.2)

1.2 (0.3)

1.0 (0.3)

 Difficulties with non-verbal social communication (range 0–2)

0.8 (0.3)

1.2 (0.2)

0.8 (0.2)

1.1 (0.3)

0.9 (0.3)

 Difficulties with developing and maintaining relationships (range 0–2)

0.9 (0.3)

1.3 (0.3)

0.9 (0.3)

1.1 (0.2)

1.0 (0.3)

 Stereotyped and repetitive speech (range 0–45)

11.4 (9.9)

8.3 (11.8)

17.7 (8.3)

21.4 (9.0)

15.8 (10.5)

 Stereotyped movements(range 0–9)

1.5 (1.4)

3.7 (2.3)

2.7 (1.9)

4.8 (2.3)

3.0 (2.3)

 Stereotyped use of objects (range 0–9)

2.0 (1.6)

3.3 (2.1)

3.7 (1.9)

6.3 (2.0)

3.8 (2.5)

 Adherence to routines (range 0–15)

2.4 (1.7)

3.4 (2.5)

6.6 (2.6)

10.9 (2.6)

6.1 (4.0)

 Ritualised patterns of behaviour (range 0–15)

3.2 (3.1)

4.9 (3.3)

6.0 (2.6)

10.6 (2.6)

6.2 (4.0)

 Resistance to change (range 0–12)

1.4 (1.3)

2.5 (2.2)

4.4 (2.2)

8.6 (2.4)

4.4 (3.4)

 Restricted and fixated interests (range 0–27)

6.2 (4.7)

10.7 (5.6)

11.4 (4.6)

16.0 (5.0)

11.0 (6.0)

 Sensory interests (range 0–15)

2.5 (2.3)

7.0 (3.1)

4.4 (2.6)

7.7 (3.5)

5.0 (3.5)

 Hyposensitivity to sensory input (range 0–9)

1.5 (1.6)

2.9 (2.4)

2.2 (2.0)

3.7 (2.8)

2.5 (2.3)

 Auditory hypersensitivity (range 0–4)

1.6 (1.6)

1.6 (1.5)

2.4 (1.6)

2.9 (1.5)

2.2 (1.6)

 Other sensory hypersensitivity (range 0–24)

4.7 (4.2)

6.8 (4.5)

10.0 (5.4)

13.1 (5.5)

8.9 (5.9)

Other characteristics (mean, SD)

 Overall intellectual ability (percentile)

 Head circumference (z score)

 Inattentiveness(range 0–9)

 Hyperactivity and impulsivity (range 0–9)

 Fluency of speech score

 Adaptive composite score (percentile)

Categorical characteristics (probabilities)

 History of regression

0.2807

0.6208

0.3058

0.4683

0.344

 History of seizure(s)

0.0702

0.1035

0.1115

0.1638

0.102

 Sleep onset difficulties

0.1339

0.2162

0.3085

0.3372

0.237

 Sleep maintenance difficulties

0.0875

0.2281

0.0915

0.2642

0.138

 Language delay

0.5963

0.8936

0.5247

0.6320

0.613

 Gross motor delay

0.4668

0.4035

0.2038

0.2775

0.321

 Gastrointestinal dysfunction

0.2239

0.4502

0.4391

0.5700

0.410

 Food allergy (likely IgE mediated)

0.0319

0.0591

0.1135

0.1626

0.095

 Food allergy (non-acute reaction)

0.0765

0.1857

0.2220

0.3176

0.199

 Non-food allergy

0.0947

0.1081

0.2843

0.4016

0.237

 Anxiety disorder

0.0199

0.1670

0.2791

0.4110

0.223

Birthweight

 Low

0.0947

0.1594

0.0830

0.1227

0.1048

 Normal

0.8343

0.6812

0.7118

0.7975

0.7635

 Macrosomic

0.0710

0.1594

0.2052

0.0798

0.1317

 Oppositional defiant or conduct disorder

0.0303

0.0171

0.1681

0.2055

0.119

 Hyperextensibility

0.0942

0.1284

0.0974

0.1372

0.110

 History of self-injurious behaviour

0.0168

0.1514

0.0947

0.1209

0.085

 History of tics

0.0660

0.1288

0.1608

0.1641

0.130

 History of depression and/or suicidality

0.0615

0.0188

0.1317

0.1274

0.097

 History of hallucinations

0.0271

0.0176

0.0953

0.1905

0.082