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Robust association between autistic traits and psychotic-like experiences in the adult general population: epidemiological study from the 2007 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey and replication with the 2014 APMS

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 May 2020

Anton P. Martinez Open the ORCID record for Anton P. Martinez [Opens in a new window] ,
Sophie Wickham ,
Georgina Rowse ,
Elizabeth Milne  and
Richard P. Bentall
Anton P. Martinez*
Affiliation:
Psychology Department, The University of Sheffield, Cathedral Court, Sheffield S1 2LT, UK
Sophie Wickham
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health and Policy, University of Liverpool, Waterhouse Building Block F, Liverpool L69 3GL, UK
Georgina Rowse
Affiliation:
Psychology Department, The University of Sheffield, Cathedral Court, Sheffield S1 2LT, UK
Elizabeth Milne
Affiliation:
Psychology Department, The University of Sheffield, Cathedral Court, Sheffield S1 2LT, UK
Richard P. Bentall
Affiliation:
Psychology Department, The University of Sheffield, Cathedral Court, Sheffield S1 2LT, UK
*
Author for correspondence: Anton P. Martinez, E-mail: apmartinez1@sheffield.ac.uk
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Abstract

Background

Studies have shown that there are overlapping traits and symptoms between autism and psychosis but no study to date has addressed this association from an epidemiological approach in the adult general population. Furthermore, it is not clear whether autistic traits are associated with specific symptoms of psychosis or with psychosis in general. We assess these associations for the first time by using the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (APMS) 2007 and the APMS 2014, predicting an association between autistic traits and probable psychosis, and specific associations between autistic traits and paranoia and strange experiences.

Methods

Participants (N = 7353 in 2007 and 7500 in 2014) completed the Psychosis Screening Questionnaire (PSQ) and a 20-item version of the Autism Quotient (AQ-20). Binomial logistic regressions were performed using AQ-20 as the independent variable and probable psychosis and specific symptoms as dependent variables.

Results

In the APMS 2007 dataset, significant associations were found between autism traits and probable psychosis, paranoia, thought insertion, and strange experiences. These results were replicated in APMS 2014 but with the additional significant association between autistic traits and hallucinations. Participants in the highest quartile of the AQ-20, compared with the lowest quartile, had an increased risk of probable psychosis of odds ratio (OR) = 15.5 [95% confidence interval (CI) 4.57–52.6] in APMS 2007 and OR = 22.5 (95% CI 7.64–66.3) in APMS 2014.

Conclusions

Autistic traits are strongly associated with probable psychosis and psychotic experiences with the exception of mania. Limitations such as the cross-sectional nature of the study are discussed.

Keywords

Autism spectrum disorderco-occurrenceepidemiologypositive symptomsschizophrenia spectrum disorder
Type
Original Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 51 , Issue 15 , November 2021 , pp. 2707 - 2713
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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