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The overlap between autistic spectrum conditions and borderline personality disorder

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Dudas, Robert B 
Lovejoy, Chris 
Cassidy, Sarah 
Smith, Paula 

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Both people with autism spectrum conditions (ASC) and borderline personality disorder (BPD) are significantly challenged in terms of understanding and responding to emotions and in interpersonal functioning. AIMS: To compare ASC, BPD, and comorbid patients in terms of autistic traits, empathy, and systemizing. METHODS: 624 ASC, 23 BPD, and 16 comorbid (ASC+BPD) patients, and 2,081 neurotypical controls (NC) filled in the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), the Empathy Quotient (EQ) and the Systemizing Quotient-Revised (SQ-R). RESULTS: On the AQ, the ASC group scored higher than the BPD group, who in turn scored higher than the comorbid group, who scored higher than controls. On the EQ, we found the comorbid and ASC groups scored lower than the BPD group, who were not different from controls. Finally, on the SQ-R, we found the ASC and BPD group both scored higher than controls. CONCLUSIONS: Similar to ASC, BPD patients have elevated autistic traits and a strong drive to systemize, suggesting an overlap between BPD and ASC.

Description

Keywords

Adults, Analysis of Variance, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Comorbidity, Diagnosis, Differential, Emotions, Empathy, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Psychological Tests, Quantitative Trait, Heritable, Young Adult

Journal Title

PLoS ONE

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1932-6203
1932-6203

Volume Title

12

Publisher

Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Sponsorship
Medical Research Council (G0600977)
Autism Research Trust (unknown)
National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) (via Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT) (unknown)
Department of Health (via National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)) (NF-SI-0515-10097)
The authors were supported by the Autism Research Trust and the MRC during the period of this work. The research was also supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care East of England at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.