Autistic Traits In Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Bejerot S, Nylander L, Lindstrom E.
Department of Neuroscience, Psychiatry, University Hospital, Uppsala,
Sweden.

In contrast to other non-psychotic psychiatric populations, subjects
with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are more prone to have
personality disorder from cluster A (the odd and eccentric cluster).
The present study aims at further investigating the relationship
between these and other personality traits in OCD subjects and their
relation to high functioning autism (HFA) and Asperger disorder.
Sixty-four subjects with OCD were included. Personality traits were assessed with the Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP), and personality disorders with
DSM-adapted questionnaires.

In addition, autistic traits were assessed in 29 videotaped subjects,
by 3 independent raters. Twenty percent of the subjects with OCD were
identified as also having autistic traits. These subjects scored higher on
KSP scales measuring muscular tension, psychasthenia, and inhibition of
aggression and lower on socialization as compared with OCD subjects
without autistic traits.

Additionally, subjects with autistic traits fulfilled criteria for anxious personality disorders and paranoid personalitym disorders significantly more often than subjects without autistic traits.

We propose that OCD is often related to HFA and Asperger disorder.
Self-report questionnaires may be useful in establishing the diagnosis.
However, those with the most obvious autistic features seem to be less
able to identify these traits in themselves.
PMID: 11827611 [PubMed – in process]

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