Citation

Sampson KN, Upthegrove R, Abu-Akel A, Haque S, Wood SJ, Reniers R. Psychol. Med. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Institute for Mental Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Cambridge University Press)

DOI

10.1017/S0033291720000124

PMID

32081111

Abstract

BACKGROUND: There is increasing interest in the clinical and aetiological overlap between autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia spectrum disorders, reported to co-occur at both diagnostic and trait levels. Individually, sub-clinical autistic and psychotic traits are associated with poor clinical outcomes, including increased depressive symptomatology, self-harming behaviour and suicidality. However, the implications when both traits co-occur remain poorly understood. The study aimed to (1) examine the relationship between autistic and psychotic traits and (2) determine if their co-occurrence increases depressive symptomatology, self-harm and suicidality.

METHODS: Cross-sectional data from a self-selecting (online and poster advertising) sample of the adult UK population (n = 653) were collected using an online survey. Validated self-report measures were used to assess sub-clinical autistic and psychotic traits, depressive symptomatology, self-harming behaviour and suicidality. Correlation and regression analyses were performed.

RESULTS: A positive correlation between sub-clinical autistic and positive psychotic traits was confirmed (rs = 0.509, p < 0.001). Overall, autistic traits and psychotic traits were, independently, significant predictors of depression, self-harm and suicidality. Intriguingly, however, depression was associated with a negative interaction between the autistic domain attention to detail and psychotic traits.

CONCLUSIONS: This study supports previous findings that sub-clinical autistic and psychotic traits are largely independently associated with depression, self-harm and suicidality, and is novel in finding that their combined presence has no additional effect on depression, self-harm or suicidality. These findings highlight the importance of considering both autistic and psychotic traits and their symptom domains in research and when developing population-based depression prevention and intervention strategies.

Language: en

Keywords

Autistic spectrum disorders; autistic traits; depression; psychotic traits; schizophrenia spectrum disorders; self-harm; suicidality