Abstract
The study examines the relationship between Asperger’s Disorder (AD) and Schizotypal Personality Disorder (SPD), mutually exclusive but similar diagnoses [DSM-IV-TR; American Psychiatric Association (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. Washington, DC: Author]. The literature and comparison of diagnostic criteria suggest that the two disorders may overlap: AD social impairment with SPD interpersonal problems and AD communication deficits with SPD disorganized features. Questionnaire measures of AD and SPD were administered to a large non-clinical adult sample. Consistent with expectations, the Asperger’s and Schizotypal questionnaires were positively correlated. Further, the social-interpersonal and communication-disorganized areas were positively correlated, though the relationship between social-interpersonal areas is particularly strong. Future research should continue to explore the relationship between AD and schizotypy to confirm current findings and improve understanding of distinctions between the disorders.
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Acknowledgments
Gratitude is expressed to student contributors: Amanda Hardy, Cheri Meadows, Dante Roach, and Verniqueca Williams. Gratitude is also expressed to Dr Roger Cox for his review of an earlier draft of this manuscript. Portions of these data were presented at the meeting of the Association for Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies in Washington, DC, November, 2005.
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Hurst, R.M., Nelson-Gray, R.O., Mitchell, J.T. et al. The Relationship of Asperger’s Characteristics and Schizotypal Personality Traits in a Non-clinical Adult Sample. J Autism Dev Disord 37, 1711–1720 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-006-0302-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-006-0302-z