CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND PATHOPSYCHOLOGICAL PATTERNS OF COMORBID INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

Abstract

The article presents a theoretical analysis of clinical and pathopsychological mechanisms underlying the comorbidity of intellectual disabilities in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The relevance of the study is determined by the increasing prevalence of ASD, the high rate of co-occurrence with intellectual impairment, and the complexity of differential diagnosis, which significantly affects developmental prognosis and the selection of psychological intervention strategies. It is shown that the dominance of a clinical approach focused on nosological classification and symptom description does not always provide sufficient insight into the psychological mechanisms of secondary impairments and the specific features of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral development. The paper offers a comparative analysis of clinical interpretations of intellectual disability comorbidity in ASD and pathopsychological approaches to its understanding. It is argued that intellectual impairment in children with ASD may have different psychological origins and does not always reflect primary cognitive limitations. In many cases, it is associated with deficits in activity regulation, communication, emotional regulation, and social interaction. A pathopsychological perspective allows for identifying a disharmonic structure of mental development that may be obscured by rigid diagnostic categories. The study emphasizes the importance of integrating clinical and pathopsychological approaches to achieve a deeper understanding of comorbidity mechanisms and to design individualized psychological support programs for children with ASD and intellectual disabilities.