Autistic Like Traits in Relatives of Autism and Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder and Normal People

This study aimed to compare autistic like traits in relatives of patients with schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder and normal people. The method of this study was causal-comparative. Therefore, 50 individuals among the patients with autism spectrum disorder in Tabriz autism center and 50 patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorder in the Razi hospital and 50 normal students of Tabriz University were selected. Two first-degree relatives of each individual completed schizotypal personality questionnaire (N= 300). Sampling of patients was convenience and of normal people randomly. For comparing these three groups in terms of schizotypal traits analysis of variance was used. Results showed that autistic like traits such as deficiencies in social skills, communication, attention switching and high attention to detail have highest level in relatives of autism spectrum disorder and lowest level in normal people. Imagination subscale was similar in relatives of autism and schizophrenia spectrum disorders and this trait was significantly low in relatives of normal people. Attention to details was significantly high in autistic relatives compare with schizophrenic and normal people relatives. This trait was similar in schizophrenic and normal people relatives.