Abstract
Increasing research is stressing the importance of identifying autistic traits (ATs) in clinical and general populations. University students may be a group at higher risk for the presence of ATs. Recently, specific attention has been paid to camouflaging strategies used by subjects in the autism spectrum in order to cope with the social environment. The aim of this work was to evaluate the prevalence of ATs and camouflaging behaviors in a population of University students. Subjects were requested to anonymously fill out through an online form the Adult Autism Subthreshold Spectrum and the Camouflaging AT Questionnaire. ATs were more represented among males and among students of specific fields of study. Camouflaging behaviors were significantly more frequent among subjects with more severe autism spectrum symptoms, without differences depending from sex. Our study confirms the strong association between ATs and camouflaging behaviors and the relationship between ATs, sex, and specific fields of study.
Highlights
Autism spectrum is a psychopathological dimension characterized by an impairment in verbal and nonverbal communication, narrow interests, and stereotyped behaviors, which can occur in different degrees of severity: from subthreshold forms and autistic traits (ATs) to full-blown autism spectrum disorder (ASD).[1,2,3]
Especially when concerning subthreshold ATs, some students may reach an adjustment to the new social context and occupation on their own, depending on their personality and cognitive style, authors are stressing that an adequate support to students with ASD or ATs is strongly needed.[18,19,20]
Concerning ATs, we found in our sample a mean AdAS Spectrum score of around 51, which is in the medium range of the questionnaire for the risk of ATs
Summary
Autism spectrum is a psychopathological dimension characterized by an impairment in verbal and nonverbal communication, narrow interests, and stereotyped behaviors, which can occur in different degrees of severity: from subthreshold forms and autistic traits (ATs) to full-blown autism spectrum disorder (ASD).[1,2,3] In psychopathology, the spectrum model allows a more accurate description of different mental disorders, including ASD, including fullfledged symptoms, and personality traits, atypical and isolated manifestations, prodromal clinical features, and behavioral characteristics which may be present before, during, or after the onset of the core symptoms of the full-blown disorder.[3,4,5] Several researches suggested the presence of comorbidity between ASD and other psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety and mood disorders.[3,5,6,7] Recent researches stressed how autism spectrum may represent a condition of vulnerability that may lead to develop other psychopathological conditions.[8,9] In this framework, increasing literature is stressing how subthreshold ATs seem to be distributed in a continuum from the clinical to the general population, being more represented in specific high-risk group, and in particular among clinical sample of subjects with other psychiatric conditions.[3,5,6,7,10,11] Students with ATs may face stressful consequences once they enter University, such as difficulties in adjusting to a different life style and rhythm, as well as to different class, lecture, and exam requirements.[12]. University students may be a group at higher risk for the presence of ATs. Recently, specific attention has been paid to camouflaging strategies used by subjects in the autism spectrum in order to cope with the social environment. The aim of this work was to evaluate the prevalence of ATs and camouflaging behaviors in a population of University students. Subjects were requested to anonymously fill out through an online form the Adult Autism Subthreshold Spectrum and the Camouflaging AT Questionnaire. ATs were more represented among males and among students of specific fields of study. Camouflaging behaviors were significantly more frequent among subjects with more severe autism spectrum symptoms, without differences depending from sex. Our study confirms the strong association between ATs and camouflaging behaviors and the relationship between ATs, sex, and specific fields of study
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