Childhood trauma is not a confounder of the overlap between autistic and schizotypal traits: A study in a non-clinical adult sample

No Thumbnail Available
File version
Author(s)
Gong, JB
Wang, Y
Lui, SSY
Cheung, EFC
Chan, RCK
Griffith University Author(s)
Primary Supervisor
Other Supervisors
Editor(s)
Date
2017
Size
File type(s)
Location
License
Abstract

Childhood trauma has been shown to be a robust risk factor for mental disorders, and may exacerbate schizotypal traits or contribute to autistic trait severity. However, little is known whether childhood trauma confounds the overlap between schizotypal traits and autistic traits. This study examined whether childhood trauma acts as a confounding variable in the overlap between autistic and schizotypal traits in a large non-clinical adult sample. A total of 2469 participants completed the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ), and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form. Correlation analysis showed that the majority of associations between AQ variables and SPQ variables were significant (p < 0.05). In the multiple regression models predicting scores on the AQ total, scores on the three SPQ subscales were significant predictors(Ps < 0.05). Scores on the Positive schizotypy and Negative schizotypy subscales were significant predictors in the multiple regression model predicting scores on the AQ Social Skill, AQ Attention Switching, AQ Attention to Detail, AQ Communication, and AQ Imagination subscales. The association between autistic and schizotypal traits could not be explained by shared variance in terms of exposure to childhood trauma. The findings point to important overlaps in the conceptualization of ASD and SSD, independent of childhood trauma.

Journal Title

Psychiatry Research

Conference Title
Book Title
Edition
Volume

257

Issue
Thesis Type
Degree Program
School
Publisher link
Patent number
Funder(s)
Grant identifier(s)
Rights Statement
Rights Statement
Item Access Status
Note
Access the data
Related item(s)
Subject

Biomedical and clinical sciences

Psychology

Autism spectrum disoders

Autistic traits

Childhood trauma

Schizophrenia spectrum disorders

Schizotypal traits

Persistent link to this record
Citation

Gong, JB; Wang, Y; Lui, SSY; Cheung, EFC; Chan, RCK, Childhood trauma is not a confounder of the overlap between autistic and schizotypal traits: A study in a non-clinical adult sample, Psychiatry Research, 2017, 257, pp. 111-117

Collections