Meta-analysis of Big Five personality traits in autism spectrum disorder

Home-based video assessment of children's autism-related behaviours: Psychometric analysis and linkages with parental responsiveness and context

OBJECTIVES

Assessment of autism-related behaviours (ARBs) in children has generally been limited to direct observations in clinical settings or informant-based reports. The widespread availability of video-streaming devices has made home observations of children's ARBs feasible. This approach could enable assessment of the generalization and durability of interventions and may be able to overcome methodological limitations of predominant current assessment approaches (response biases, limited sensitivity to treatment).

DESIGN AND METHODS

Forty-four autistic children and their families participated in a repeated-measures study with a correlational design. Approximately 10 hr of unprompted behaviour at home were videorecorded over the course of a week (2 hr per day) for each participant. Gold standard measures of ARBs were also administered (ADOS-2 and ADI-R). Two home-based observational measures of ARBs utilizing streaming video were developed and evaluated: the ARCHER and the CHEERS. Trained independent evaluators made ratings on the ARCHER, CHEERS and an observational measure of parental responsiveness.

RESULTS

Correlations with the ADOS-2 and ADI-R were .47 and .34 for ARCHER scores and .51 and .48 for CHEERS scores, respectively. In linear mixed models, more responsive parenting was associated with fewer ARBs on a daily basis. Children spent their afternoons engaged in many typical activities including electronics, homework and games with family members, and ARBs were more prominent in some of these contexts (e.g., electronics) than others (e.g., family games).

CONCLUSIONS

Home-based observational assessment of ARBs may be useful for clinical and descriptive research.

Evaluation of the psychometric indicators of the Comprehensive Autistic Trait Inventory in Iranian adults

BACKGROUND

The DSM-5's Comprehensive Autism Traits Inventory (CATI) was a useful diagnostic tool for the general population because it covered all the critical aspects of autism. However, its reliability and validity in the overall Iranian population still need to be investigated.

PURPOSE

We reviewed the inventory and estimated the validity and reliability of the Iranian version of CATI among 1800 adults.

METHODS

The Persian version of CATI (CATI-I) was administered to 1800 Iranian adults using the online Star Questionnaire system. Internal consistency, convergent validity, discriminant validity, test-retest reliability, and measurement invariance across genders were calculated.

RESULTS

The Correlated social & non-social bifactor model showed the best fit in the Iranian community (CFI=.966; TLI=.947; RMSEA=.045; SRMR=.028). Ultimately, the CATI-I scale in the Iranian community consisted of 39 items across six factors and two higher-order constructs. Additionally, the CATI-I scale's convergent validity and reliability values were acceptable.

CONCLUSION

The CATI-I demonstrates satisfactory reliability and validity in measuring autism traits. It is an appropriate model for the second-order social and non-social factors, and it also shows measurement invariance across genders.

Traits of narcissistic vulnerability in adults with autism spectrum disorders without intellectual disabilities

The relationship between Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), considering the dimensions of narcissistic grandiosity and vulnerability, represents an important differential diagnosis and potential ground of comorbidity, since both conditions show high grades of pervasiveness, a life-long course, ego-syntonic traits, and difficulties in building up and sustaining interpersonal relationships Although the co-diagnosis rates, according to the categorical criteria in use, are limited (0%-6.4%), it is common to encounter diagnostic doubts in clinical practice. Here we investigated the dimensions of narcissistic vulnerability and grandiosity in a sample of 87 adults diagnosed with ASD without intellectual disabilities through the administration of the Pathological Narcissism Inventory-52 Items (PNI-52). The mean scores of our sample were compared with the normative distribution available in the literature, and we found that individuals with ASD scored significantly higher than neurotypical controls at the Total Score and at the Vulnerable Narcissism subscale, but not at the Grandiose Narcissism subscales. Demographic features did not influence these results. Vulnerable narcissism was significantly associated with the "Ritvo Autism and Asperger Diagnostic Scale - Revised" subscale Social Relatedness. These findings could potentially be indicative of a greater comorbidity rate between the two disorders with respect to the one reported to date, possibly because DSM-5 criteria are mainly focused on the grandiose dimension. Potential explanatory links between ASD phenomenology and vulnerable narcissism, such as the personality dimension of neuroticism, are discussed, together with the possible role of narcissistic vulnerability in mediating internalizing symptoms (e.g., anxiety, depression) in individuals with ASD.

Development and Initial Validation of the Russian Version of the RAADS-14: A Self-Report Questionnaire to Assess Autistic Traits

Autism is a relatively common neurodevelopmental condition that affects social communication and behavior, affecting the overall quality of life. The prevalence of autism is constantly increasing, but timely diagnosis allows for effective treatment. The aim of our research was to construct a Russian version of the RAADS-14, a brief self-report questionnaire originally designed for autism screening, and to perform its initial validation to provide a reference point in developing autism self-assessment tools for the Russian-speaking population. Psychometric properties of the RAADS-14 Rus were evaluated on a sample of 1724 participants, including a general sample of non-psychiatric young adults (n = 794) and adults with clinically established ASD (n = 49); a brief Russian inventory assessing Big Five personality traits (FFQ) was administered to a part of the sample (n = 364) to provide the first assessment of criterion validity. Confirmatory factor analysis of the RAADS-14 Rus confirmed the factor structure of the original Swedish version yielding acceptable fit indices. The discriminating properties were substantially worse than in the original study. The correlations between the RAADS-14 Rus domain scores and the Big Five factors were similar to previously obtained findings. Overall, the results suggest that the RAADS-14 Rus can be used as a screening tool for ASD in adults with proper caution and considering its discriminating properties.

Characterizing the personality and gray matter volume of chimpanzees that exhibit autism-related socio-communicative phenotypes

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder characterized by stereotypies or repetitive behaviors and impairments in social behavior and socio-communicative skills. One hallmark phenotype of ASD is poor joint attention skills compared to neurotypical controls. In addition, individuals with ASD have lower scores on several of the Big 5 personality dimensions, including Extraversion. Here, we examine these traits in a nonhuman primate model (chimpanzees; Pan troglodytes) to further understand the relationship between personality and joint attention skills, as well as the genetic and neural systems that contribute to these phenotypes. We used archival data including receptive joint attention (RJA) performance, personality based on caretaker ratings, and magnetic resonance images from 189 chimpanzees. We found that, like humans, chimpanzees who performed worse on the RJA task had lower Extraversion scores. We also found that joint attention skills and several personality dimensions, including Extraversion, were significantly heritable. There was also a borderline significant genetic correlation between RJA and Extraversion. A conjunction analysis examining gray matter volume showed that there were five main brain regions associated with both higher levels of Extraversion and social cognition. These regions included the right posterior middle and superior temporal gyrus, bilateral inferior frontal gyrus, left inferior frontal sulcus, and left superior frontal sulcus, all regions within the social brain network. Altogether, these findings provide further evidence that chimpanzees serve as an excellent model for understanding the mechanisms underlying social impairment related to ASD. Future research should further examine the relationship between social cognition, personality, genetics, and neuroanatomy and function in nonhuman primate models.

Investigating autistic traits, social phobia, fear of COVID-19, and internet use disorder variables in the context of videoconference fatigue

In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, many individuals turned to synchronous online video communication technologies as a substitute for real-world face-to-face interactions. Evidence indicates that some users of such technologies show symptoms of exhaustion and fatigue during and after videoconferences (VCs) – this phenomenon is referred to as Videoconference Fatigue (VC fatigue). Research characterizing the possible vulnerability factors for VC fatigue is still scarce and considered to be in its early stage. Contributing to closing this gap in the existing literature is the motivation for the present study. Survey data was collected from 311 German-speaking participants to explore the relationships of VC fatigue with several psychological factors including autistic traits, social phobia, Fear of COVID-19, tendencies towards Internet Use Disorders (IUD tendencies), and Fear of Missing Out (FoMO, trait and state variables). Results showed that VC fatigue was significantly positively correlated with all of these psychological factors except state-FoMO, and corss-sectional mediation analyses provided further evidence for the positive association between autistic traits and VC fatigue. Specifically, the relationship between autistic traits and VC fatigue was mediated by Fear of COVID-19 and IUD tendencies rather than social phobia, with the latter being a preregistered hypothesis. This study adds to the literature by revealing several possible vulnerability factors associated with VC fatigue. In essence, the present work sheds light on the complex association between autistic traits and VC fatigue. We discuss the implications of our study as well as its limitations and potential avenues for future research.

Psychometric Properties of the Chinese Version of the Comprehensive Autistic Trait Inventory

Background

The Comprehensive Autistic Trait Inventory (CATI) was an appropriate assessment tool that included all the principal dimensions related to autism defined in DSM-5 for the general population. However, its validity and reliability in the general Chinese population still need to be examined.

Purpose

We revised the inventory and estimated the validity and reliability of the Chinese version of the CATI among 2232 general undergraduates.

Methods

The Chinese version of the CATI (CATI-C) was administered to 2259 undergraduates using the online Questionnaires Star electronic system. Internal consistency, convergent validity, discriminant validity, test-retest reliability, and measurement invariance across gender were calculated. In order to determine the diagnostic accuracy and optimal cut-off score of the CATI-C, an analysis using the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) was performed.

Results

The CATI-C includes 35 items of two factors and six dimensions. CFA demonstrated that the fit index of the structure of the scale was good (Satorra-Bentler chi-square/degrees of freedom [S-Bχ² /df] = 2.406, Standardized Root Mean Square Residual [SRMR] = 0.038, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation [RMSEA] = 0.037, Comparative Fit Index [CFI] = 0.929, Tucker-Lewis Index [TLI] = 0.917). The convergent validity examined based on the Autism Spectrum Quotient total score was satisfactory (r = 0.54). The internal consistency reliability of social factor, non-social factor, and total scores were 0.87, 0.85, and 0.90. The test-retest reliability was 0.80. A cut-off score of 115 provided optimal sensitivity and specificity for the CATI-C (sensitivity = 0.926, specificity = 0.781, and Youden's index = 0.707).

Conclusion

The CATI-C has satisfactory reliability and validity in measuring autistic traits. It showed a good model fit for social and non-social second-order bifactors and measurement invariance across gender.

Factors of relationship satisfaction for autistic and non-autistic partners in long-term relationships

LAY ABSTRACT

Previous research has found that autistic people report lower satisfaction in their romantic relationships compared to non-autistic people. However, the majority of this research has focused on autistic traits as barriers to relationship satisfaction, while overlooking the role of their partners in these relationships. Our study explored a range of factors in both autistic people and non-autistic partners of autistic people and how they may be linked to long-term relationship satisfaction. These factors included social and communication skills, personality traits, social loneliness, partner responsiveness, and sexual satisfaction. We found that partner responsiveness was a strong predictor of relationship satisfaction for both autistic and non-autistic partners, suggesting that rather than focusing intervention solely on the autistic person, the role of their partner should also be considered. Service providers who work with couples involving an autistic person to enhance their relationship satisfaction could focus on assisting their clients to identify each other's needs and how best to meet them.

An Initial Investigation of the Joint Classification of Hypomania- and Neurodevelopmental Disorder-Relevant Dimensions Within the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology

We examined hierarchical structural models of psychopathology in samples of (a) adults recruited online and screened based on psychopathology history (N = 429) and (b) undergraduates (N = 529) to inform classification of neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD)- and hypomania-relevant dimensions within the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP). Results differed across samples in some ways, but converged to indicate that some NDD- and hypomania-relevant dimensions aligned closely with different HiTOP spectra. For example, some hypomania-relevant dimensions (e.g., affective lability) overlapped strongly with the internalizing spectrum, whereas others (e.g., self-perceived charisma) were reverse-indicators of detachment. Examination of cross-sectional and prospective correlates for emergent factors also was informative in some ways. This included NDD-relevant and disinhibited externalizing dimensions associating robustly with treatment seeking history and recent experiences of distress. These results provide initial insights into classifying NDD- and hypomania-relevant dimensions within the HiTOP and indicate a need for future research in this area.

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder traits and diagnosis in adults and young people with personality disorders: A systematic review

OBJECTIVES

Autism spectrum disorders and personality disorders are spectrum conditions with shared clinical features. Despite similarities, previous attempts to synthesise literature on co-existing prevalence and shared traits have employed a unidirectional focus, assessing personality characteristics of individuals with an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. Here, we assess the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder diagnosis and/or traits among persons diagnosed with a personality disorder.

METHODS

We systematically reviewed the English-language literature following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, according to a pre-registered protocol (PROSPERO: CRD 42021264106). Peer-reviewed quantitative studies reporting the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder diagnosis or traits in persons with an established personality disorder diagnosis were included. Studies were critically appraised using the Appraisal tool for Cross-Sectional Studies.

RESULTS

Fifteen studies were identified, including 72,902 participants (median: 48, interquartile range: 30-77). Diagnoses included borderline, schizotypal and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders, and cohorts with unspecified personality disorder diagnoses. There was significant heterogeneity in diagnostic methodology and assessment tools used. We identified preliminary evidence of an increased prevalence of co-existing autism spectrum disorder diagnosis and traits among those diagnosed with a personality disorder, although significant limitations of the literature were identified.

CONCLUSION

Our research suggests clinicians should consider conducting a careful developmental assessment when assessing service-users with possible or confirmed personality disorder. Future research directions may include larger studies featuring clinical control groups, an exploration of shared and differentiating behavioural-cognitive features of the two conditions, and investigation into potentially shared aetiological factors. Research investigating demographic factors that may contribute to potential diagnostic overshadowing would also be welcomed.

Cognitive and Developmental Functions in Autistic and Non-Autistic Children and Adolescents: Evidence from the Intelligence and Development Scales-2

Autistic individuals often show impairments in cognitive and developmental domains beyond the core symptoms of lower social communication skills and restricted repetitive behaviors. Consequently, the assessment of cognitive and developmental functions constitutes an essential part of the diagnostic evaluation. Yet, evidence on differential validity from intelligence and developmental tests, which are commonly used with autistic individuals, varies widely. In the current study, we investigated the cognitive (i.e., intelligence, executive functions) and developmental (i.e., psychomotor skills, social-emotional skills, basic skills, motivation and attitude, participation during testing) functions of autistic and non-autistic children and adolescents using the Intelligence and Development Scales-2 (IDS-2). We compared 43 autistic (M_age = 12.30 years) with 43 non-autistic (M_age = 12.51 years) participants who were matched for age, sex, and maternal education. Autistic participants showed significantly lower mean values in psychomotor skills, language skills, and the evaluation of participation during testing of the developmental functions compared to the control sample. Our findings highlight that autistic individuals show impairments particularly in motor and language skills using the IDS-2, which therefore merit consideration in autism treatment in addition to the core symptoms and the individuals' intellectual functioning. Moreover, our findings indicate that particularly motor skills might be rather neglected in autism diagnosis and may be worthy of receiving more attention. Nonsignificant group differences in social-emotional skills could have been due to compensatory effects of average cognitive abilities in our autistic sample.

An Exploratory Study of MMPI-2-RF Personality and Psychopathology Profiles of Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder without Intellectual Disability

OBJECTIVE

More empirical research is needed to disentangle the phenotypes of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and cluster C personality symptomatology (CCPD), as both show similarities in their clinical presentation. We explored personality and psychopathology dimensions as conceptualized in contemporary dimensional taxonomies (i.e., hierarchical taxonomy of psychopathology; HiTOP) in adults with ASD without intellectual disability operationalized by the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF).

METHOD

Applying secondary analytic processes using clinical data, we cross-examined the MMPI-2-RF profiles of adults with ASD (n = 28) compared to adults with Cluster C personality disorders (CCPD; n = 28) and a control group (n = 28) by conducting nonparametric tests and assessing effect sizes.

RESULTS

The profiles of the ASD and CCPD groups evidenced to be similar, and both average clinical profiles diverged from the average control group profiles by elevated levels of demoralization, internalizing, and somatization symptomatology. There were small differences between the average profiles of adults with ASD and adults with CCPD. Additional research using dimensional measures of psychopathology could elucidate the dimensional phenotypes of ASD and CCPD.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the results in this study, the MMPI-2-RF may not meaningfully discriminate between the two clinical presentations, with the exception of various externalizing scales.

Priming and reversals of the perceived ambiguous orientation of a structure-from-motion shape and relation to personality traits

We demonstrate contributions of top-down and bottom-up influences in perception as explored by priming and counts of perceived reversals and mixed percepts, as probed by an ambiguously slanted structure-from-motion (SFM) test-cylinder. We included three different disambiguated primes: a SFM cylinder, a still image of a cylinder, and an imagined cylinder. In Experiment 1 where the prime and test sequentially occupied the same location, we also administered questionnaires with the Big-5 trait openness and vividness of visual imagery to probe possible relations to top-down driven priming. Since influences of gaze or position in the prime conditions in Experiment 1 could not be ruled out completely, Experiment 2 was conducted where the test cylinder appeared at a randomly chosen position after the prime. In Experiment 2 we also measured the number of perceptual reversals and mixed percepts during prolonged viewing of our ambiguous SFM-cylinder, and administered questionnaires to measure all Big-5 traits, autism, spatial and object imagery, and rational or experiential cognitive styles, associated with bottom-up and top-down processes. The results revealed contributions of position-invariant and cue-invariant priming. In addition, residual contributions of low-level priming was found when the prime and test were both defined by SFM, and were presented at the same location, and the correlation between the SFM priming and the other two priming conditions were weaker than between the pictorial and imagery priming. As previously found with ambiguous binocular rivalry stimuli, we found positive correlations between mixed percepts and the Big-5 dimension openness to experience, and between reversals, mixed percepts and neuroticism. Surprisingly, no correlations between the scores from the vividness of imagery questionnaires and influence from any of the primes were obtained. An intriguing finding was the significant differences between the positive correlation from the experiential cognitive style scores, and the negative correlation between rational style and the cue invariant priming. Among other results, negative correlations between agreeableness and all priming conditions were obtained. These results not only support the notion of multiple processes involved in the perception of ambiguous SFM, but also link these processes in perception to specific personality traits.

Shared genetics between autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and their association with extraversion

BACKGROUND

Deciphering the genetic relationships between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may uncover underlining shared pathophysiology as well as inform treatment.

METHODS

The summary results of genome-wide association studies on ADHD, ASD, and extraversion were utilized for the analyzes. Genetic correlations between ADHD, ASD, and extraversion were tested using linkage disequilibrium score regression. Causal relationships between ADHD, ASD, and extraversion were investigated using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. Novel pleiotropic genomic loci shared by ADHD and ASD were identified using a cross-trait meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Extraversion was positively correlated with ADHD (r_g = 0.205) and negatively correlated with ASD (r_g = -0.193). The MR analysis showed that ADHD confers a causal effect on ASD (OR: 1.35, 95% confidence interval (CI):1.20-1.52) and vice versa (1.46, 1.38-1.55). Extraversion exerts a causal effect on ADHD only (1.19, 1.05-1.33). The cross-trait meta-analysis identified three novel pleiotropic genomic loci for ADHD and ASD, involving two pleiotropic genes, LINC00461 and KIZ.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study provides new insights into the shared genetics of ADHD and ASD and their connections with extraversion.

Validation of the Japanese Big Five Scale Short Form in a University Student Sample

The Japanese Big Five Scale Short Form (JBFS-SF), a 29-item self-report scale, has recently been used to measure the Big Five personality traits. However, the scale lacks psychometric validation. This study examined the validity and reliability of the JBFS-SF with data collected from 1,626 Japanese university students participating in a randomized controlled clinical trial. Structural validity was tested with exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and measurement invariance tests were conducted across sex. Internal consistency was evaluated with McDonald’s omega. Additionally, construct validity was estimated across factors using the PHQ-9, GAD-7, AQ-J-10, and SSQ. EFA results showed that the JBFS-SF can be classified according to the expected five-factor structure, while three items had small loadings. Therefore, we dropped these three items and tested the reliability and validity of the 26-item version. CFA results found that a 26-item JBFS-FS has adequate structural validity (GFI = 0.907, AGFI = 0.886, CFI = 0.907, and RMSEA = 0.057). The omega of each factor was 0.74–0.85. Each JBFS-SF factor was specifically correlated with the PHQ-9, GAD-7, and SSQ. This research has shown that the JBFS-SF can be a clinically useful measure for assessing personality characteristics.

Clinical autism subscales have common genetic liabilities that are heritable, pleiotropic, and generalizable to the general population

The complexity of autism's phenotypic spectra is well-known, yet most genetic research uses case-control status as the target trait. It is undetermined if autistic symptom domain severity underlying this heterogeneity is heritable and pleiotropic with other psychiatric and behavior traits in the same manner as autism case-control status. In N = 6064 autistic children in the SPARK cohort, we investigated the common genetic properties of twelve subscales from three clinical autism instruments measuring autistic traits: the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ), the Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised (RBS-R), and the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ). Educational attainment polygenic scores (PGS) were significantly negatively correlated with eleven subscales, while ADHD and major depression PGS were positively correlated with ten and eight of the autism subscales, respectively. Loneliness and neuroticism PGS were also positively correlated with many subscales. Significant PGS by sex interactions were found-surprisingly, the autism case-control PGS was negatively correlated in females and had no strong correlation in males. SNP-heritability of the DCDQ subscales ranged from 0.04 to 0.08, RBS-R subscales ranged from 0.09 to 0.24, and SCQ subscales ranged from 0 to 0.12. GWAS in SPARK followed by estimation of polygenic scores (PGS) in the typically-developing ABCD cohort (N = 5285), revealed significant associations of RBS-R subscale PGS with autism-related behavioral traits, with several subscale PGS more strongly correlated than the autism case-control PGS. Overall, our analyses suggest that the clinical autism subscale traits show variability in SNP-heritability, PGS associations, and significant PGS by sex interactions, underscoring the heterogeneity in autistic traits at a genetic level. Furthermore, of the three instruments investigated, the RBS-R shows the greatest evidence of genetic signal in both (1) autistic samples (greater heritability) and (2) general population samples (strongest PGS associations).

Personality as a mediator of autistic traits and internalizing symptoms in two community samples

Background

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by deficits in social functioning and is comorbid with internalizing disorders and symptoms. While personality is associated with these symptoms and social functioning in non-ASD samples, its role mediating the relationship between ASD traits and internalizing symptoms is not clear.

Methods

We studied the mediating effect of personality on the correlations between ASD traits and internalizing symptoms (i.e., depression, anxiety, stress) in two samples. Additionally, we explored the moderating effect of gender. Analyses were applied to a small (Study 1; N = 101) undergraduate sample. A broader sample recruited via an online crowdsourcing platform (Study 2; N = 371) was used to validate the results.

Results

Study 1’s mediation analyses revealed that neuroticism was the only significant mediator. Study 2 replicated these results by finding extraversion to be an additional mediator for anxiety and extraversion, openness, and agreeableness as additional mediators for stress. Moderation analyses revealed that gender was never a significant moderator.

Conclusions

These results support the effects of personality on the relationship between autism traits and internalizing symptoms. Future research should explore these effects in clinical samples to better understand the role of personality in symptomatology and the need to address it as part of intervention.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40359-022-00774-z.

Cognitive profiles of children with autism spectrum disorder with parent-reported extraordinary talents and personal strengths

LAY ABSTRACT

Previous research has suggested that focusing on impairments can be detrimental to the well-being of autistic individuals, yet little research has focused on strengths and positive qualities in autism. Some studies explored "savant skills" (herein referred to as "extraordinary talents"), that is, skills that stand out compared to the general population. These often group everyone who has a specific talent, rather than exploring subgroups with strengths in specific areas. There has been even less research focused on personal strengths (i.e. skills that stand out relative to the individual's other abilities, but not the general population). To expand this research, we use a sample of 1470 children (ages 4-18 years) from the Simons Simplex Collection without cognitive impairment to examine the relationship between having a parent-reported skill in a specific area and performance on a standardized cognitive test. Almost half (46%) had at least one parent-reported talent and an additional 23% without extraordinary talents had at least one personal strength. Children with these parent-reported skills had different patterns of performance on these standardized tests than children without skills in that area (i.e. visuospatial, drawing, computation, reading, and memory). Specific skills in computation or reading were associated with higher overall performance on the standardized tests. These results emphasize the importance of considering strengths separately by area, rather than combining individuals with different types of strengths. The high number of children with skills in this study underscores the need for more research in this area, particularly using instruments focused on understanding the nuances of these strengths. It is important for future studies to consider these skills in children with cognitive impairment.

Autism spectrum disorder and personality disorders: Comorbidity and differential diagnosis

BACKGROUND

Differential diagnosis, comorbidities and overlaps with other psychiatric disorders are common among adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but clinical assessments often omit screening for personality disorders (PD), which are especially common in individuals with high-functioning ASD where there is less need for support.

AIM

To summarize the research findings on PD in adults with ASD and without intellectual disability, focusing on comorbidity and differential diagnosis.

METHODS

PubMed searches were performed using the key words "Asperger's Syndrome", "Autism", "Personality", "Personality disorder" and "comorbidity" in order to identify relevant articles published in English. Grey literature was identified through searching Google Scholar. The literature reviews and reference sections of selected papers were also examined for additional potential studies. The search was restricted to studies published up to April 2020. This review is based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses method.

RESULTS

The search found 22 studies carried out on ASD adults without intellectual disability that met the inclusion criteria: 16 evaluated personality profiles or PD in ASD (comorbidity), five compared ASD and PD (differential diagnosis) and one performed both tasks. There were significant differences in the methodological approaches, including the ASD diagnostic instruments and personality measures. Cluster A and cluster C PD are the most frequent co-occurring PD, but overlapping features should be considered. Data on differential diagnosis were only found with cluster A and cluster B PD.

CONCLUSION

ASD in high-functioning adults is associated with a distinct personality profile even if variability exists. Further studies are needed to explore the complex relationship between ASD and PD.

The characteristics and factors of the internalizing and externalizing behaviours of children at high risk for autism spectrum disorder

BACKGROUND

The behavioral characteristics of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are not only affected by their disease, but also by their parenting environment. HR-ASD has the risk of developing internalization and externalization problems. How the early development of these behavioral problems is affected by parent-child interaction is worth exploring. We tested whether parent-child interactions and parenting characteristics were associated with behavioural problems during the infant periods.

METHODS

This study collected data from 91 infants at high risk for ASD and 68 matched typically developing (TD) infants, about their internalizing and externalizing behavioural problems and engagement states (i.e. positive, negative, and parent-child interactions), using free play paradigm. Parent measures were assessed using the Broad Autism Phenotypic Questionnaire (BAPQ) and Parenting Stress Index Short Form (PSI-SF) questionnaire. The core symptoms of ASD were assessed using the the Autism Diagnostic Observational Schedule (ADOS).

RESULTS

During free play, infants in the HR-ASD group showed more internalizing (P < 0.001) and externalizing (P < 0.05) behaviours and less positive engagement (P < 0.01) than the TD group. In the regression analysis, we found that parenting stress had an impact on the infants' externalizing behaviours (△R2 = 0.215). Parent negative engagement had an impact on the infants' internalizing behaviours (△R2 = 0.451).

CONCLUSIONS

The present study revealed that children at high risk for ASD exhibited more severe internalizing and externalizing behavioural problems than TD group. The parent negative engagement is associated with behavioural problems. The findings on the contribution of parents' factors to behavioural problems suggests that the parenting stress and parent-child interactions are important factors for mitigating behavioural problems.

A Common CDH13 Variant Is Associated with Low Agreeableness and Neural Responses to Working Memory Tasks in ADHD

The cell—cell signaling gene CDH13 is associated with a wide spectrum of neuropsychiatric disorders, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, and major depression. CDH13 regulates axonal outgrowth and synapse formation, substantiating its relevance for neurodevelopmental processes. Several studies support the influence of CDH13 on personality traits, behavior, and executive functions. However, evidence for functional effects of common gene variation in the CDH13 gene in humans is sparse. Therefore, we tested for association of a functional intronic CDH13 SNP rs2199430 with ADHD in a sample of 998 adult patients and 884 healthy controls. The Big Five personality traits were assessed by the NEO-PI-R questionnaire. Assuming that altered neural correlates of working memory and cognitive response inhibition show genotype-dependent alterations, task performance and electroencephalographic event-related potentials were measured by n-back and continuous performance (Go/NoGo) tasks. The rs2199430 genotype was not associated with adult ADHD on the categorical diagnosis level. However, rs2199430 was significantly associated with agreeableness, with minor G allele homozygotes scoring lower than A allele carriers. Whereas task performance was not affected by genotype, a significant heterosis effect limited to the ADHD group was identified for the n-back task. Heterozygotes (AG) exhibited significantly higher N200 amplitudes during both the 1-back and 2-back condition in the central electrode position Cz. Consequently, the common genetic variation of CDH13 is associated with personality traits and impacts neural processing during working memory tasks. Thus, CDH13 might contribute to symptomatic core dysfunctions of social and cognitive impairment in ADHD.

Personality in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Associations With Face Memory Deficit and Theory of Mind

OBJECTIVE

To examine the personality profiles of adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using a standard personality assessment and to investigate the association between personality, ASD-related face memory deficit (FMD), and theory of mind (ToM). In a broader context, to examine whether there are distinct clinical phenotypes in the ASD population that have implications for personality development and treatment.

METHOD

Fifty-five adults with ASD and 22 neurotypical (NT) adults underwent a battery of neuropsychological tests, including measures of personality, face memory, and ToM. We compared ASD and NT groups in terms of their Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) profiles. Additional analyses focused on the association between specific PAI scales and FMD. Performance on the Eyes Test was compared across groups and was examined in relation to FMD.

RESULTS

Adults with ASD demonstrated significant elevations on several PAI scales compared with NT adults. The presence of FMD was associated with differing PAI profiles among the ASD adults. The ASD adults with FMD scored significantly higher on scales that are sensitive to positive impression management and treatment rejection and significantly lower on scales that are sensitive to borderline personality, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, and stress. There was a significant association between performance on the Eyes Test and FMD in the ASD group.

CONCLUSION

Adults with ASD have a unique personality profile. Further, ASD adults with FMD have reduced insight into their difficulties with emotional processing and may not be as sensitive as ASD adults without FMD to the emotions of others.

Symptoms of Selective Mutism in Non-clinical 3- to 6-Year-Old Children: Relations With Social Anxiety, Autistic Features, and Behavioral Inhibition

Selective mutism (SM) is a psychiatric condition that is characterized by a failure to speak in specific social situations (e. g., at school) despite speaking normally in other situations (e.g., at home). There is abundant evidence that anxiety, and social anxiety in particular, is a prominent feature of SM, which is the main reason why this condition is currently classified as an anxiety disorder. Meanwhile, there is increasing support for the notion that autism-related problems are also involved in SM. The present study examined the relations between SM and social anxiety, autistic features, and behavioral inhibition to the unfamiliar (i.e., the tendency to react with restraint and withdrawal when confronted with unfamiliar stimuli and situations). Parents of 172 3- to 6-year-old preschool children completed an online survey for measuring the relevant constructs. Results showed that there were positive and statistically significant correlations between SM and social anxiety, autistic features, and behavioral inhibition. Regression analyses revealed that (1) both social anxiety and autistic features accounted for a significant and unique proportion of the variance in SM scores, and (2) that both of these variables no longer made a significant contribution once behavioral inhibition was added to the model. It can be concluded that while the involvement of social anxiety is unambiguous in SM, autism-related problems are also implicated. Furthermore, behavioral inhibition seems to play a key role in the non-speaking behavior of non-clinical young children.

Mechanisms of the Effects of Parental Emotional Warmth on Extraversion in Children and Adolescents

The purpose of this study is to probe into the influence mechanism of parental emotional warmth (PEW) on extraversion for children and adolescents, as well as the moderating and mediating role of brain functional activity. Thirty-two children and adolescents underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans and completed Egna Minnen av Barndoms Uppfostran (EMBU) and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ). Small-worldness (SW) of brain networks, fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF), and region-of-interest to region-of-interest (ROI-ROI) functional connectivity were calculated to study intrinsic neuronal activity. We found that PEW had a positive direct effect on extraversion, and all participants in the current study showed an efficient small-world structure. The positive association between PEW and extraversion was mediated by SW. Furthermore, the fALFF and extraversion were significantly and negatively correlated in the right precuneus and dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus. The mediating effect of SW was moderated by the functional connectivity between the right precuneus and the right dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus. The indirect effect was significant with lower level of the functional connectivity between the right precuneus and the right dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus. These findings indicate that SW of brain networks may be a key factor that accounts for the positive association between PEW and extraversion in children and adolescents and the level of the functional connectivity between the right precuneus and the right dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus could moderate the relationship.

Advancing understanding of the classification of broad autism phenotype and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptom dimensions within the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology

Research on personality and psychopathology associations has informed the classification of many symptom dimensions within the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP). However, classification of symptom dimensions defining autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) within the HiTOP framework remains unclear in many ways. To address this issue, we examined the joint factor structure of (a) measures assessing characteristics relevant to ADHD and autism and (b) normal range personality traits in a sample of 547 adults recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk, many of whom reported elevated autism-relevant and ADHD-relevant characteristics. We also examined how factors identified in these analyses correlated with measures of internalizing symptoms and select externalizing traits. Our results indicated that some measures assessing autism-relevant and ADHD-relevant characteristics (e.g. communication issues, hyperactivity/impulsivity) defined a distinct Attention and Communication Difficulties factor, with scores on this factor correlating strongly with internalizing symptom ratings. However, other relevant characteristics such as aloofness may be indicators of existing HiTOP spectra such as detachment. We discuss how these findings inform classification of autism-relevant and ADHD-relevant characteristics within the HiTOP, as well as key future directions for extending the limited research in this area.

Age differences in broader autism phenotype traits from young adulthood to older adulthood

Much of past research has been dedicated to refining the operationalization and correlates of the broader autism phenotype (BAP) and less on how the BAP differs by socio-demographic characteristics, like age-particularly after midlife. This gap is important because other nonclinical trait-like characteristics (e.g., personality) have shown considerable age differences, leading to work assessing the malleability of psychological characteristics and improving outcomes for individuals and their significant others. In the current study, we examined cross-sectional age differences in the BAP in a large sample of adults ranging in age from 18 to 85. We recruited a sample of 2966 adults ranging in age from 18 to 85 (M_age = 36.53, SD = 12.61; 58.9% Female; 1.1% with an ASD diagnosis) recruited from an online survey service. We found that total BAP scores were higher in younger adults and lower among older adults. These differences were particularly true for pragmatic language difficulties, with this component of the BAP showing the most dramatic age differences. Aloofness showed similar negative associations with age, albeit much smaller. Rigidity was not significantly associated with age. The results are consistent with other research showing an abatement of symptoms among individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) across early life and theories predicting changes in other psychological characteristics (e.g., personality). The results are discussed in the context of the malleability of ASD and BAP traits across life, the clinical implications of these changes, and the origins and consequences for lifespan differences in BAP. LAY SUMMARY: Little is known about how subclinical autistic-like traits among middle-aged and older adults compare to younger adults. We found that these subclinical traits were highest in young adults and lowest in older adults. Knowing how these traits differ by age can provide researchers and clinicians with a sense of how much these traits might change across life, if the traits might be sensitive to interventions, and when in development it might be best to intervene.

Exploring the autism spectrum: Moderating effects of neuroticism on stress reactivity and on the association between social context and negative affect

Neuroticism is associated with increased stress reactivity. In autism spectrum disorders (ASD), emotional stress reactivity is increased and there is some evidence for an increased negative affect (NA) when with less familiar people. The aim of this study was to compare adults with ASD and controls on levels of neuroticism and on interactions between neuroticism and appraised stress or social context in models of NA. This is a cross-sectional observational study comprising a group of 50 adults with ASD and 51 controls. Experience sampling method (ESM) reports were collected for 10 days to measure daily life stress, mood, and social context. Multilevel regression analyses revealed significantly higher neuroticism levels in ASD than in controls. Adults with ASD who scored high on neuroticism showed a significantly stronger association between activity/social stress and NA (i.e., higher stress reactivity) than those with low scores. Furthermore, the association between neuroticism and NA was stronger when adults with ASD were with less familiar people compared with being alone or with familiar people. No consistent corresponding significant interactions were found in the control group. In conclusion, in ASD, neuroticism moderates the association between appraised stress and NA as well as the association between social context and NA.

An evolutionary life history approach to understanding mental health

In recent years, evolutionary life history theory has been used as a heuristic framework to understand mental health. This article reviews the life history theory and its integration with mental disorders and then introduces representative research methods and related empirical studies in the field of evolutionary psychopathology. In the end, this article concludes with future directions for further research examining and developing the evolutionary psychopathological framework.

Diagnosis of depression in multiple sclerosis is predicted by frontal-parietal white matter tract disruption

BACKGROUND

Persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) are at an elevated risk of depression. Decreased Conscientiousness may affect patient outcomes in PwMS. Low Conscientiousness has a strong correlation with depression. Previous work has also reported that white matter (WM) tract disruption in frontal-parietal networks explains reduced Conscientiousness in PwMS.

OBJECTIVE

We hypothesized that Conscientiousness-associated WM tract disruption predicts new-onset depression over 5 years in PwMS and evaluated this by assessing the predictive power of mean Conscientiousness associated frontal-parietal network (CFPN) disruption in PwMS for clinically diagnosed depression over 5 years.

METHODS

This longitudinal retrospective analysis included 53 PwMS who were not previously diagnosed as depressed. All participants underwent structural MRI. Medical records were reviewed to evaluate diagnosis of depression for these patients over 5 years. WM tract damage between pairs of gray matter regions in the CFPN was measured using diffusion imaging. The relationship between CFPN disruption and depression was analyzed using logistic regression.

RESULTS

Participants with MS had a mean age of 46.0 years (SD = 11.2). 22.6% (n = 12) acquired a diagnosis of clinical depression over the 5-year period. Baseline disruption in the CFPN was a significant predictor (ROC AUC = 61.8%). of new-onset clinical depression, accounting for age, sex, lateral ventricular volume, disease modifying treatment, and lesion volume.

CONCLUSION

Baseline CFPN disruption is associated with progression to clinical depression over 5 years in PwMS. Development of new WM pathology within this network may be a risk factor for depression.

Autistic traits in young adults who gamble

BACKGROUND.

Little is known about the relationship between autistic traits and addictive behaviors such as problem gambling. Thus, the present study examined clinical characteristics and multiple facets of cognition in young adults who gamble and have autistic traits.

METHODS.

A total of 102 young adults who gamble were recruited from two Mid-Western university communities in the United States using media advertisements. Autistic traits were examined using the brief Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ-10). Clinician rating scales, questionnaires, and cognitive tests were completed. Relationships between AQ10 scores and demographic, gambling symptom, and neurocognitive measures were evaluated.

RESULTS.

Autistic traits were correlated with disordered gambling symptoms, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, trait impulsivity, and some types of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. In regression, ADHD no longer significantly related to autistic traits once disordered gambling symptoms were accounted for; whereas the link between autistic traits and disordered gambling symptoms was robust even controlling for ADHD.

CONCLUSIONS.

These data suggest a particularly strong relationship between autistic traits and problem gambling symptoms, as well as certain aspects of impulsivity and compulsivity. The link between ADHD and autistic traits in some prior studies may have been attributable to disordered gambling symptoms, which was likely not screened for, and since individuals may endorse ADHD instruments due to other impulsive/compulsive symptom types (eg, gambling). The contribution of autistic traits to the emergence and chronicity of disordered gambling now requires further scrutiny, not only in community samples (such as this) but also in clinical settings.

The Nomological Net of the HEXACO Model of Personality: A Large-Scale Meta-Analytic Investigation

Based on lexical studies, the HEXACO (honesty-humility, emotionality, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience) model of personality has been proposed as a model of basic personality structure that summarizes individual differences in six broad trait dimensions. Although research across various fields relies on the HEXACO model increasingly, a comprehensive investigation of the nomological net of the HEXACO dimensions is missing entirely. Thus, it remains unclear whether each HEXACO dimension accounts for individual variation across theoretically relevant outcome criteria. We close this gap through a large-scale meta-analytic investigation, testing whether each HEXACO dimension is uniquely linked to one broad and theoretically relevant outcome domain. Results from 426 individual meta-analyses, 436 independent samples, and 3,893 effect-size estimates corroborate this unique mapping. Specifically, honesty-humility maps onto the outcome domain of exploitation, emotionality onto insecurity, extraversion onto sociality, agreeableness versus anger onto obstruction, conscientiousness onto duty, and openness to experience onto exploration. Overall, the current investigation provides a comprehensive empirical test of the (breadth of) content captured by the HEXACO dimensions and allows for a broad specification of the nomological net of the HEXACO model overall.

The Relation Between Autistic Traits, the Degree of Synaesthesia, and Local/Global Visual Perception

Synaesthesia is highly prevalent in autism spectrum disorder. We assessed the relation between the degree of autistic traits (Autism Spectrum Quotient, AQ) and the degree of synaesthesia in a neurotypical population, and hypothesized both are related to a local bias in visual perception. A positive correlation between total AQ scores and the degree of synaesthesia was found, extending previous studies in clinical populations. Consistent with our hypothesis, AQ-attention to detail scores were related to increased performance on an Embedded Figures Task and reduced susceptibility to visual illusions. We found no relation between autistic traits and performance on a motion coherence task, and no relation between synaesthesia and local visual perception. Possibly, this relation is reserved for supra-threshold synaesthetes.

Temperament predicts challenging behavior in children with autism spectrum disorder at age 5

BACKGROUND

Challenging behaviors during early childhood have a significant impact on cognitive and social development. The present study aimed to identify the developmental predictors of these behaviors in preschool aged children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at 2-year follow-up. We examined temperament, which has been identified as key to emotion regulation in typical development, as well as developmental level and ASD symptom severity, as potential predictors of parent-reported challenging behavior.

METHOD

Forty-three parents of preschool aged children with ASD from a previous study were invited to participate. Data from 26 children with ASD aged 4-6 years (M = 5, SD = .60) were available for follow-up analyses. Developmental level, ASD symptom severity, and temperamental difficulty at baseline were considered as potential predictors of frequency and severity of challenging behavior at follow-up.

RESULTS

Baseline negative affectivity was uniquely predictive of frequency of challenging behavior at follow-up. Although no individual variable was identified as a unique predictor of variance, the combined effects of temperament were predictive of the severity of challenging behavior at follow-up, contributing to 46 % of variance in scores.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings highlight the potential impact of emotion-regulation related aspects of temperament on later emerging challenging behavior in young children with ASD, suggesting opportunities for early intervention. Results also identified a role for developmental level in the severity of challenging behavior, but suggest that the effect may be metered by temperament.

Psychometric Assessments of Three Self-Report Autism Scales (AQ, RBQ-2A, and SQ) for General Adult Populations

This study assesses the psychometric properties of three self-report measures of autistic-like tendencies in the general adult population: autistic spectrum quotient (AQ), adult repetitive behaviours questionnaire-2 (RBQ-2A), and systemizing quotient (SQ). Three rounds of development and testing using different U.S. and global samples led to three instruments that are psychometrically sound, parsimonious, and generalizable across populations. The resulting AQ-9, consisting of two factors: social communication and attention to detail, now mirrors the current dual diagnostic criteria in the DSM-5. The RBQ-2A-R has now been refined through CFA for the first time. The new SQ-7 scale also has updated content. All three refined scales demonstrate satisfactory psychometric validity and parsimony and now provide evidence of their appropriateness for empirical research.