The association between childhood autistic traits and adolescent psychotic experiences is explained by general neuropsychiatric problems

Abstract

Studies suggest associations between childhood autistic traits and adolescent psychotic experiences. However, recent research suggests that a general neuropsychiatric problems factor predicts adverse outcomes better than specific diagnostic entities. To examine if the alleged association between autistic traits and psychotic experiences could rather be explained by a general neuropsychiatric problems factor comprising symptoms of ADHD, tic disorder, developmental coordination disorder, and learning disorder, we conducted a prospective cohort study based on the Child and Adolescent Twin Study in Sweden. In addition, we examined the genetic and environmental influences on the associations. A total of 9,282 twins with data on childhood autistic traits and other neuropsychiatric problems, and follow-up data on psychotic experiences at ages 15 and/or 18 years were included. First, psychotic experiences were regressed on autistic traits and second, the general neuropsychiatric problems factor was added to the model. Auditory hallucinations were analyzed separately from the other psychotic experiences. Finally, twin analyses were employed to disentangle genetic from environmental influences in the observed associations. Replicating prior research, significant associations were found between autistic traits in childhood and auditory hallucinations at ages 15 and 18. However, after controlling for the general neuropsychiatric problems factor, the associations between autistic traits and auditory hallucinations disappeared, whereas the association between the general neuropsychiatric problems factor and auditory hallucinations persisted after controlling for autistic traits. Twin analyses revealed that the association between the general neuropsychiatric problems factor and auditory hallucinations was driven by shared genetic influences. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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

“…Bevan Jones et al (2012) found that autistic traits recorded in childhood increased the chances of psychotic experiences in adolescence, and suggested that this finding was consistent with the increased vulnerability model. However, Cederlöf et al (2015) reported that, in an adolescent general population sample, a strong association between auditory hallucinations and autistic traits that was initially detected was no longer significant when general neuropsychiatric problems were controlled for, suggesting that shared genetic factors and/or neurodevelopmental processes could explain that association observed here, which would be consistent with the multiple overlapping etiologies model. Various psychological functions have been highlighted as candidate overlapping etiological mechanisms.…”

Childhood neurodevelopmental disorders and risk of coercive sexual victimization in childhood and adolescence – a population‐based prospective twin study

“…A complementary speculation is that sexual victimization exists within a network of negative outcomes associated with the NDD phenotype. In fact, the genetically influenced NDD factor has been associated with other negative outcomes, including bullying victimization (Törn et al., ), psychotic symptoms (Cederlöf et al., ), and alcohol problems (Quinn et al., ). Genetically influenced traits or behaviors may increase the risk for several adverse consequences that are related through a chain of events.…”

A Population-Based Cohort Study Examining the Incidence and Impact of Psychotic Experiences From Childhood to Adulthood, and Prediction of Psychotic Disorder

“…In the general population, the vast majority of people with psychotic experiences do not present to clinical services, let alone with a psychotic disorder (6)(7)(8)(9). Whilst psychotic experiences are usually transient (7,(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15), they are nevertheless often distressing and associated with impaired social and occupational function, both concurrently, and longitudinally (4,16,17), and with suicidality (18)(19)(20)(21)(22); thus psychotic experiences may index a common, and under-recognised, public health burden (8,23). Given the global burden of disease of psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia, and promise of benefit of early intervention to improve clinical outcomes, there is an imperative to understand the developmental trajectories from onset of psychotic experiences to clinical disorder, and to improve identification of individuals at greatest risk of requiring intervention.…”