Autistic disorder and schizophrenia: Diagnostic overlaps

Data on 14 males with autism and 14 with schizophrenia were collected to ex amine symptom overlap. The Structured Clinical Interview (SCID), the schedu le for positive symptoms (SAPS) and the schedule for negative symptoms (SAN S) of schizophrenia, the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), and the DSM- III-R were administered. On the SCID, none of the men with paranoid schizop hrenia met criteria for autism while 7 of those with autism met criteria fo r schizophrenia, disorganized type, showing negative symptoms. In addition, 5 showed positive symptoms on the SAPS and 6 negative symptoms on the SANS . As the difference in measured nonverbal intelligence was not significant, the effects could not be attributed to it. Although the findings continue to support the differentiation of autism and schizophrenia, they are also c onsistent with a comorbidity of the two disorders, mainly in those diagnose d with autism.