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Background:  While research indicates elevated behavioural and emotional problems in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and decreased wellbeing in their parents, studies do not typically separate out the contribution of ASD from that of associated intellectual disabilities (ID). We investigated child behavioural and emotional problems, and maternal mental health, among cases with and without ASD and ID in a large populationrepresentative sample.

Methods:  Crosssectional comparison of child behavioural and emotional problems and maternal mental health measures among 18,415 children (5 to 16 years old), of whom 47 had an ASD, 51 combined ASD with ID, 590 had only ID, and the remainder were the comparison group with no ASD or ID.

Results:  The prevalence of likely clinical levels of behavioural and emotional problems was highest among children with ASD (with and without ID …