| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 370691 | Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders | 2012 | 9 Pages |
Social and communicative deficits, restricted interests and repetitive behaviors are diagnostic features of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The present study examined the relationship between autistic characteristics and schizophrenia-spectrum traits as well as between autistic characteristics and obsessive-compulsive traits in typically developed young adults. The Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) was given separately to two large samples. In addition, one sample (N = 662) was given the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) to assess schizophrenia-spectrum traits, whereas the other sample (N = 347) was given the Padua Inventory (PI) to assess obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) traits. The results revealed a moderate correlation between the AQ and the SPQ total scores; however, multiple regression analyses showed that the “Cognitive-Perceptual” factor did not predict the autism-spectrum degree, although autistic characteristics and schizophrenia-spectrum traits had common social–emotional difficulties. Similarly, there was a moderate correlation between the AQ and PI total scores, which suggests that they had common problems in cognitive aspects; however, autism-spectrum and OCD traits differed with regard to other behavioral characteristics including repetitive or impulsive behaviors. Therefore, there was not a large overlap of the autism-spectrum and either the schizophrenia- or obsessive-compulsive spectrums, although certain traits were correlated with each other.
► We examined the relationship between the autism-spectrum and schizophrenic traits. ► We also examined the relationship between the autism-spectrum and obsessive-compulsive traits. ► The autism-spectrum partly resembles the schizophrenia-spectrum and the obsessive-compulsive spectrum. ► However, there was not a large overlap of the autism-spectrum and either the schizophrenia- or obsessive-compulsive spectrums. ► The proportion of people with ASD who show some SPD or OCD traits at a diagnostic level is very small.
