Autistic traits in obsessive-compulsive disorder

In contrast to other non-psychotic psychiatric populations, subjects with o bsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are more prone to have personality disor der from cluster A (the odd and eccentric cluster). The present study aims at further investigating the relationship between these and other personali ty traits in OCD subjects and their relation to high functioning autism (HF A) and Asperger disorder. Sixty-four subjects with OCD were included. Perso nality traits were assessed with the Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP) , and personality disorders with DSM-adapted questionnaires. In addition, a utistic traits were assessed in 29 videotaped subjects, by 3 independent ra ters. Twenty percent of the subjects with OCD were identified as also havin g autistic traits. These subjects scored higher on KSP scales measuring mus cular tension, psychasthenia, and inhibition of aggression and lower on soc ialization as compared with OCD subjects without autistic traits. Additiona lly, subjects with autistic traits fulfilled criteria for anxious personali ty disorders and paranoid personality disorders significantly more often th an subjects without autistic traits. We propose that OCD is often related t o HFA and Asperger disorder. Self-report questionnaires may be useful in es tablishing the diagnosis. However, those with the most obvious autistic fea tures seem to be less able to identify these traits in themselves.