Elevated Autistic Traits Research Articles

Moving Beyond the Phenotypic Correlation Between Anorexia Nervosa and Autism.

The recent systematic review and meta-analysis by Inal-Kaleli etal. is situated within a growing area of research, investigating the relationship between anorexia nervosa and autistic characteristics. Their synthesis of research within the topic finds support for elevated autistic characteristics and autism in individuals with anorexia nervosa and a small but significant correlation between autistic traits and level of eating disorder symptoms. In this commentary, we discuss the findings of Inal-Kaleli and colleagues and propose further research to generate insights into the nature of this link. We focus on the potential origins of the observed relationship, specific mechanisms, and manifestation of anorexia nervosa in autistic populations, and the influence of sex and gender on the intersection of eating disorders and autism. By addressing these largely unexplored research avenues, future investigations can go beyond the phenotypic correlations and facilitate the development of prevention and intervention suited for individuals experiencing both disordered eating and elevated autistic traits.

Investigating the Presence of Autistic Traits and Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder Symptoms in Anorexia Nervosa: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The present meta-analysis aims to assess whether individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN) demonstrate elevated autistic traits, to explore potential associations between autistic traits and eating disorder symptoms; as well as to estimate the prevalence of a positive screen for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) assessed via Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), in AN. A systematic literature search was conducted in PsycINFO, MEDLINE, and Web of Science in August 2023 and later updated in April 2024 to identify relevant studies. Twenty-two studies with 1172 AN patients and 2747 healthy controls (HCs) met the inclusion criteria. There was a significant difference between AN and HC groups in autistic traits (g = 0.88, CI = 0.65-1.12), and a significant but modest correlation was found between autistic traits and severity of eating disorder symptoms (r = 0.28, CI = 0.11-0.44). Proportion meta-analysis indicated that 29% (CI = 0.19-0.38) of children and adults scored above the cut-off for ASD. The current findings suggest that AN frequently overlaps with both autistic traits and autistic symptomatology. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate autism and autistic traits in individuals with AN to tailor individualized treatment plans.

Systematic Reviews on Eating Disorders and Autism Spectrum Disorder Emphasize a Call to Further Expand High-Quality Research.

Two recent systematic reviews provide important insights into the current state of the eating disorder literature regarding autistic traits, ASD prevalence, and experience with accessing treatment, with a specific focus on anorexia nervosa (AN). The extant literature provides converging evidence for elevated autistic traits in individuals with AN, while evidence for increased prevalence of ASD in AN is less robust. Presence of autistic traits or a formal ASD diagnosis both appear to elevate the potential for a more complicated experience during eating disorder treatment. Together, this work provides compelling justification to expand the breadth of inquiry regarding eating disorders and ASD, with a specific call for increased methodological rigor when designing and conducting future research. My commentary calls for specific steps to advance our understanding of ASD and eating disorders.

A Longitudinal Study of Head Circumference Trajectories in Autism and Autistic Traits.

Increased head circumference is an established finding in autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however, it is unclear when this increase occurs, if it persists and whether it manifests across the whole ASD spectrum. Head circumference is a strong predictor of brain size and can therefore provide key insights into brain development in ASD. We used data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children to compare head circumference trajectories from birth to 15 years in children with an ASD diagnosis (N = 78, controls = 6,404) or elevated autistic traits as measured using the Social Communication Disorder Checklist (N = 639, controls = 6,230). Exploratory analyses were conducted in those with ASD and co-morbid cognitive learning needs (CLN). Children with an ASD diagnosis had larger head circumference from birth across childhood and adolescence compared to controls in univariable (B = 0.69, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.28-1.09, p = 0.001) and multivariable models (B = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.003-0.75, p = 0.048). Differences were more marked in those with co-morbid CLN. Children with elevated autistic traits had significantly smaller head circumference compared to controls. There was weak evidence of group differences when height was included as a covariate. Head circumference trajectories in ASD deviate from control children and persist until adolescence. Autistic traits were associated with smaller head circumference, suggesting distinct growth trajectories between clinical cases from those with non-clinical traits.

Major Depressive Disorder with Catatonia: A Phenotype Related to Autistic Traits and High Suicidality.

Background: Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) represents a significant global health concern, often complicated by comorbidities such as catatonia and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Recognizing the interplay among these conditions and their impact on suicidal tendencies is crucial for effective clinical management. Methods: A total sample of 147 subjects with MDD was divided into Significant Catatonia (SC) and Non-Significant Catatonia (NSC) groups based on Catatonia Spectrum (CS) scores. Participants were evaluated through the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5, Research Version (SCID-5-RV), the Adult Autism Subtreshold Spectrum (AdAS Spectrum), and the Mood Spectrum-Self Report questionnaires. Statistical analyses included Mann-Whitney U test, Chi-square test, logistic regression analyses, and a decision tree model. Results: The SC group exhibited higher CS, AdAS Spectrum, and MOODS-SR total and domain scores compared to the NSC group. Individuals with significant autistic traits were over-represented in the SC group, as well as participants with higher suicidality, suicidal ideation, and a history of suicide attempts. The total AdAS Spectrum and MOOD-SR score, the AdAS domain "Hyper-hypo reactivity to sensory input", and the "Cognitive depressive" MOOD-SR domain were predictive of belonging to the SC group. Suicidality levels appeared to be higher in clinically significant ASD, intermediate in subjects with autistic traits (AT), and low in the absence of AT. Conclusions: the study suggests the existence of a specific phenotype of MDD associated with catatonia, characterized by elevated autistic traits and suicide risk.

Feasibility and acceptability of a parent‐toddler programme to support the development of executive functions in children at elevated likelihood of autism or ADHD: Pilot findings

AbstractThis study reports feasibility, fidelity and acceptability of a pilot of START; a 12‐week parent‐toddler, group‐based, neurodiversity‐affirming programme aiming to support executive function development in toddlers at elevated likelihood of autism or ADHD. After 4 days' training, community early years practitioner pairs delivered START to 13 UK families with a toddler showing elevated autistic traits, or with a parent or sibling with autism or ADHD, in groups of 6 and 7. Sessions were audio‐recorded and rated by practitioners and researchers regarding the extent to which programme and session aims were met. Practitioners' reflections on strengths and challenges in session delivery, adaptations to the session plan and researchers' observations from the audio recordings were probed in weekly debrief calls, and one‐to‐one interviews at programme end‐point. Recruitment and retention were monitored. Parent participants were asked to complete a feedback questionnaire after each session. Results show recruitment to the programme is feasible, but a large minority of parents experience barriers to regular attendance, which is a challenge for achieving exposure targets. Practitioners delivered the programme to a high quality and at least partially met programme and session‐specific aims in every session. The most significant barrier to fully meeting session aims was families' late arrival. Parents reported regularly engaging with the suggested activities at home and found the sessions useful, although not all parents responded each week. Overall, the results of this small‐scale pilot indicate START is feasible and acceptable as a parent‐mediated programme to support toddlers at elevated likelihood of autism or ADHD to thrive.

Virtually delivered cognitive behavioural therapy for avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (CBT-AR): a case study in an adult with elevated autistic traits

ABSTRACT Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Avoidant and Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (CBT-AR; ARIFD) is a psychological treatment that targets many of the core symptoms of ARFID. Although a growing literature supports the efficacy of behavioural interventions for paediatric feeding and eating disorders, including ARFID, the applicability of these methods to adults remains undetermined. Telehealth delivery of CBT-AR in adults with autism has yet to be tested. With this study, we conduct a preliminary evaluation of CBT-AR delivered virtually to a 26-year-old white British female, with mixed ARFID and elevated autistic traits. She attended 23 remote CBT-AR sessions facilitated through a dedicated telehealth platform. Adjustments were made to accommodate her lived experience of neurodiversity. Using a pre-post treatment design, changes on measures of subjective goal attainment, eating-related and general psychosocial impairment, general anxiety, and depression were evaluated. Following treatment, the participant had made significant progress towards personally meaningful goals, with improvements observed in nutritional intake, general well-being, and reductions in eating-related psychosocial impairment and general anxiety. The results offer preliminary insights into acceptability and efficacy of virtual CBT-AR for neurodiverse individuals.

The Impact of Exam Stress on the Relationship Between Autistic Traits and Disordered-Eating Attitudes in a Non-clinical Population

Previous research has demonstrated that individuals with anorexia nervosa display elevated autistic traits in comparison to individuals who do not have the disorder. However, it remains unknown as to whether this relationship is a stable trait of individuals or if it is caused by a psychological or physical state. This study investigated the state vs trait nature of the relationship between disordered eating and autistic traits in a non-clinical sample, while additionally exploring the ability of cognitive inflexibility to predict this relationship. Thirty-four undergraduate students from the University of St Andrews completed questionnaires regarding their affect, disordered-eating attitudes and autistic traits alongside a measure of set-shifting ability in the Brixton Spatial Anticipation test during a period of examination stress and a period of no stress. It was revealed that on both occasions, individuals who scored higher on a test of disordered-eating attitudes also scored higher on a test measuring autistic traits. This relationship was stronger when participants were stressed. Autistic traits were also found to significantly predict a change in eating attitudes between a stress-induced state and pre-existing trait conditions. Inflexibility, as reflected by Brixton scores, did not appear to relate to either measure. These results indicate that slightly elevated autistic traits in those exhibiting disordered-eating attitudes may be state-dependent, as opposed to reflecting the engrained traits of the individual. Findings are discussed in relation to future research replicating the study with a larger sample and implications for the diagnosis and treatment of anorexia.

Non-suicidal self-injury in Chinese college students with elevated autistic traits: Associations with anxiety, rumination and experiential avoidance

Although existing studies have proved that autistic traits (AT) may have relations to non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) behaviors, its associations with anxiety, rumination and experiential avoidance (EA) are still unclear. The current study, based on a sample of 1317 Chinese college students, explored the associations between AT, anxiety and NSSI, and the possible modulating roles of rumination and EA in these associations. The results shows that 1) a total of 334 (25.36%) students reported a history of NSSI and 30 (2.28%) students were categorized as high AT; 2) Students with high AT reported higher rates of NSSI than those with low AT (36.67% vs. 25.10%); 3) AT, anxiety, rumination and EA have positive relations with NSSI; 4) AT predicted NSSI indirectly through anxiety; 5) Rumination and EA significantly moderated the effects of AT on NSSI via anxiety. In conclusion, this study confirms the indirect effect of AT on NSSI through anxiety in Chinese college students, and further clarifies the reinforcing effects of rumination and EA on the associations between AT, anxiety and NSSI. These findings suggest that developing adaptive emotion-regulating strategies and positive coping styles might promote the prevention and treatment of NSSI behaviors among autistic individuals.

Early developmental profiles of sensory features and links to school-age adaptive and maladaptive outcomes: A birth cohort investigation.

Sensory-based subtypes among autistic children have been well documented, but little is known about longitudinal sensory subtypes beyond autistic populations. This prospective study aimed to identify subtypes based on trajectories of parent-reported sensory features measured at 6-19 months, 3-4, and 6-7 years of age among a community-based birth cohort (N = 1,517), and to examine their associations with school-age clinical and adaptive/maladaptive outcomes on a subset sample (N = 389). Latent class growth analysis revealed five trajectory subtypes varying in intensity and change rates across three sensory domains. In contrast to an Adaptive-All Improving subtype (35%) with very low sensory features and overall better school-age outcomes, an Elevated-All Worsening subtype (3%), comprised of more boys and children of parents with less education, was associated with most elevated autistic traits and poorest adaptive/maladaptive outcomes. Three other subtypes (62% in total) were generally characterized by stable or improving patterns of sensory features at mild to moderate levels, and challenges in certain outcome domains. Our findings indicate that characterizing children based on early sensory trajectories may contribute to earlier detection of subgroups of children with sensory challenges who are more likely to experience developmental challenges by school age, followed by early targeted interventions for improved long-term outcomes.

Self-reported cognitive decline among middle and older age autistic adults.

Very little is known about autistic adults as they age. Early evidence suggests a potentially high risk for dementia and atypical cognitive decline in autistic middle and older age adults. Research in the general population indicates that self-reported cognitive decline may predict future dementia earlier than performance-based measures. Nevertheless, self-report dementia screeners have not been used to date in autism research. In a sample of middle and older age autistic adults (N=210), participants completed a self-rated dementia screener, the AD8, to describe the rate of cognitive decline, examine associations of cognitive decline with age, educational level, sex designated at birth, and autistic traits, and document the psychometrics of a dementia screener in autistic adults. We found high rates of cognitive decline with 30% of the sample screening positive. The most common symptoms were declining interest in leisure activities, and increases in everyday problems with thinking, memory, and judgment. There was evidence that autistic individuals designated female at birth may be more vulnerable to cognitive decline than autistic individuals designated male at birth. Notably, reports of cognitive decline did not vary by age or educational level. Modestly elevated autistic traits were found in those screening positive versus negative for cognitive decline. Finally, the dementia screener showed good psychometrics, including convergent validity with an independent measure of current memory problems. These results could signal an emerging public health crisis in autistic adults as they age, and support the potential utility of self-report measures for early screening for cognitive decline in this population.

Self-harm and Suicidality Experiences of Middle-Age and Older Adults With vs. Without High Autistic Traits

Suicide has been identified as a leading cause of premature death in autistic populations. Elevated autistic traits have also been associated with higher rates of self-harm, suicidal ideation, and suicidal self-harm in the general population, but this has yet to be examined in older age. Using baseline cross-sectional data from the PROTECT study, middle-age and older adults with high autistic traits (n = 276) had significantly higher rates of suicidal ideation, deliberate self-harm, and suicidal self-harm than an age/sex-matched comparison group (n = 10,495). These differences represented a 5- to 6-fold increase in likelihood for self-harming and suicidality. These findings, which remained when controlling for depression symptoms, suggest that middle-age and older adults with high autistic traits may be particularly at risk of self-harm and suicidal behaviours.

Impaired odor identification ability and olfactory hedonic capacity in children with elevated autistic traits

AbstractAtypical olfactory function in autism spectrum disorder has been documented in numerous studies, but little is known about its occurrence in individuals with autistic traits. The aim of the current study was to investigate odor identification ability and olfactory hedonic capacity in children with autistic traits. We recruited 415 children and measured their autistic traits by the Short Autism Spectrum Quotient. The Universal Sniff (U‐Sniff) test was used to measure odor identification ability and olfactory hedonic capacity. Olfactory hedonic capacity was also measured using the children's version of the Chemosensory Pleasure Scale (CPS‐C). Odor identification and olfactory hedonic capacity measured by CPS‐C were negatively correlated with autistic traits. Children with higher autistic traits exhibited poorer odor identification ability and olfactory trait hedonic capacity measured by CPS‐C but intact olfactory state hedonic capacity measured by odor pleasantness. These results pertaining to odor identification and olfactory hedonic capacity may be the endophenotypic markers for autism spectrum disorder.Practical ApplicationsOur study extends the knowledge on children with high autistic traits and provides a new perspective on olfactory identification ability and olfactory hedonic capacity in children with high autistic traits. In addition, our findings suggest olfactory testing may provide a new approach for detecting and understanding autism.

Developmental trajectories of sensory patterns from infancy to school age in a community sample and associations with autistic traits.

This prospective study examined the latent growth trajectories of sensory patterns among a North Carolina birth cohort (N=1517; 49% boys, 87% White) across infancy (6-19months), preschool (3-4years), and school years (6-7years). Change rates of sensory hyper- and hyporesponsiveness better differentiated children with an autism diagnosis or elevated autistic traits from those with other developmental conditions, including non-autistic children with sensory differences. More sensory hyper- and hyporesponsiveness at infancy followed by steeper increases differentially predicted more autistic traits at school age. Further, children of parents with higher education tended to show stable or improving trajectories. These findings highlight the importance of tracking sensory patterns from infancy for facilitating early identification of associated challenges and tailored support for families.

Child Autistic Traits, Food Selectivity, and Diet Quality: A Population-Based Study

BackgroundChildren with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) tend to be selective in their food intake, which may compromise their diet quality. While ASD diagnoses capture severe levels of impairment, autistic traits vary on a continuum throughout the population. Yet, little is known about how autistic traits relate to diet quality at the population level. ObjectivesThis study examines the association between autistic traits in early childhood and diet quality in mid-childhood and explores the mediating role of food selectivity. MethodsParticipants were children (n = 4092) from the population-based Generation R Study. Parents reported their child's autistic traits at 1.5, 3, and 6 years; food selectivity at 4 years; and food intake at 8 years, from which a diet quality score was derived. Associations of autistic traits and the autistic trait trajectory (identified using Latent Class Growth Modelling) with diet quality were examined using multiple linear regression models. The indirect effect of food selectivity in the association between autistic traits at 1.5 years and diet quality was examined using mediation analysis. ResultsAutistic traits were associated with diet quality (e.g., 1.5 years: β = −0.09; 95% CI: −0.13 to −0.06). Two classes captured the autistic trait trajectories from 1.5 to 6 years: children with “low and stable” (95%) and “high and increasing” (5%) mean scores. Children in the high and increasing group had poorer diet quality than those in the low and stable group (β = −0.28; 95% CI: −0.44 to −0.11). Food selectivity mediated the association between autistic traits at 1.5 years and diet quality at 8 years (βindirect = −0.03; 95% CI: −0.03 to −0.02). ConclusionsAutistic traits in early childhood are associated with poorer diet quality in mid-childhood, and food selectivity appears to mediate this association. Interventions intended to optimize nutrition in children with elevated autistic traits may integrate behavioral strategies to support parents’ responding to their child's food selectivity.

The co-occurrence of neurodevelopmental disorders in gender dysphoria: Characteristics within a paediatric treatment-seeking cohort and factors that predict distress pertaining to gender

Gender dysphoria, characterised by distress associated with an incongruence between an individual's assigned and experienced gender, is encountered in 1%–2% of children and adolescents. Recent findings suggest neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), including Autism, are frequently reported among youth with Gender Dysphoria. This study aims to explore the frequency of NDDs in children and adolescents presenting to a hospital-based gender service, and to investigate the contribution of autistic traits and general psychological distress to distress pertaining to gender. Sixty-four participants (mean age = 12.91 years) with Gender Dysphoria were recruited to this study. Self- and caregiver-report questionnaires were used to evaluate psychological distress, autistic traits, and distress pertaining to gender. Relative to the rest of the participants, the 13 (20.31%) with a co-occurring NDD diagnosis reported elevated autistic traits (p < .001). They did not differ in terms of psychological distress or distress pertaining to gender. A hierarchical linear regression revealed autistic traits alone did not contribute to the variability in distress pertaining to gender, whereas general psychological distress accounted for 9.9% of the variability in distress pertaining to gender (p = .012). The current findings indicate that NDD diagnoses are common in children and adolescents with Gender Dysphoria who attend hospital-based services. Psychological distress, rather than autistic traits, contributes more variability in distress pertaining to gender. Taken together, these findings indicate the need to consider NDDs in treatment plans but also to focus on the important relationship between psychological distress and Gender Dysphoria.

Autism and autistic traits in those who died by suicide in England.

Autism and autistic traits are risk factors for suicidal behaviour. To explore the prevalence of autism (diagnosed and undiagnosed) in those who died by suicide, and identify risk factors for suicide in this group. Stage 1: 372 coroners' inquest records, covering the period 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2017 from two regions of England, were analysed for evidence that the person who died had diagnosed autism or undiagnosed possible autism (elevated autistic traits), and identified risk markers. Stage 2: 29 follow-up interviews with the next of kin of those who died gathered further evidence of autism and autistic traits using validated autism screening and diagnostic tools. Stage 1: evidence of autism (10.8%) was significantly higher in those who died by suicide than the 1.1% prevalence expected in the UK general alive population (odds ratio (OR) = 11.08, 95% CI 3.92-31.31). Stage 2: 5 (17.2%) of the follow-up sample had evidence of autism identified from the coroners' records in stage 1. We identified evidence of undiagnosed possible autism in an additional 7 (24.1%) individuals, giving a total of 12 (41.4%); significantly higher than expected in the general alive population (1.1%) (OR = 19.76, 95% CI 2.36-165.84). Characteristics of those who died were largely similar regardless of evidence of autism, with groups experiencing a comparably high number of multiple risk markers before they died. Elevated autistic traits are significantly over-represented in those who die by suicide.

Multimodal Evidence of Atypical Processing of Eye Gaze and Facial Emotion in Children With Autistic Traits.

According to the shared signal hypothesis (SSH) the impact of facial expressions on emotion processing partially depends on whether the gaze is directed toward or away from the observer. In autism spectrum disorder (ASD) several aspects of face processing have been found to be atypical, including attention to eye gaze and the identification of emotional expressions. However, there is little research on how gaze direction affects emotional expression processing in typically developing (TD) individuals and in those with ASD. This question is investigated here in two multimodal experiments. Experiment 1 required processing eye gaze direction while faces differed in emotional expression. Forty-seven children (aged 9–12 years) participated. Their Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) scores ranged from 0 to 6 in the experiment. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were sensitive to gaze direction and emotion, but emotion processing did not depend on gaze direction. However, for angry faces the gaze direction effect on the N170 amplitude, as typically observed in TD individuals, diminished with increasing ADOS score. For neutral expressions this correlation was not significant. Experiment 2 required explicit emotion classifications in a facial emotion composite task while eye gaze was manipulated incidentally. A group of 22 children with ASD was compared to a propensity score-matched group of TD children (mean age = 13 years). The same comparison was carried out for a subgroup of nine children with ASD who were less trained in social cognition, according to clinician’s report. The ASD group performed overall worse in emotion recognition than the TD group, independently of emotion or gaze direction. However, for disgust expressions, eye tracking data revealed that TD children fixated relatively longer on the eyes of the stimulus face with a direct gaze as compared with averted gaze. In children with ASD we observed no such modulation of fixation behavior as a function of gaze direction. Overall, the present findings from ERPs and eye tracking confirm the hypothesis of an impaired sensitivity to gaze direction in children with ASD or elevated autistic traits, at least for specific emotions. Therefore, we conclude that multimodal investigations of the interaction between emotional processing and stimulus gaze direction are promising to understand the characteristics of individuals differing along the autism trait dimension.

Characterizing autistic traits in treatment-seeking young adults with substance use disorders.

Recent work highlights an increase in the overlap of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and substance use disorder (SUD). Little is known about the presence of ASD symptoms in SUD-treatment-seeking populations. The informant-rated Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS-2) was completed at intake to an outpatient SUD clinic for youth aged 16-26 (N = 69). Comparisons were made between those with elevated SRS-2 scores on demographic, psychiatric, and substance use variables. Parents of sixty-nine patients with SUD completed the SRS-2. Fourteen (20%) (average age 18.7 ± 2.5) had elevated SRS-2 Total T-scores (≥66) and 55 (average age 18.1 ± 2.8) had non-clinical SRS-2 Total T-scores. There were few differences between groups; however, those with elevated SRS-2 Total T-scores were more likely to have a stimulant use disorder (odds ratio [OR] = 7.59, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.77, 101.88; p = 0.05) or an opioid use disorder (OR = 5.02, 95% CI = 0.59, 43.27; p = 0.08) than patients with normal SRS-2 Total T-scores as well as alcohol use in the week prior to intake. A significant proportion of treatment-seeking SUD outpatients suffer from clinically elevated autistic traits. These findings highlight the importance of assessing for autistic traits in SUD treatment settings yet additional research is needed to determine if these findings are specific to the presence of ASD or secondary to sequelae of specific SUD presentations. This study is, to our knowledge, the first to have examined the prevalence, morbidity, or clinical characteristics, associated with ASD symptoms in a SUD-specific population.

Autistic Traits, STEM, and Medicine: Autism Spectrum Quotient Scores Predict Medical Students’ Career Specialty Preferences

There is a higher than chance representation of autistic people and people with elevated autistic traits in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) industries. Medical students, despite studying a STEM subject, have lower autistic traits than other STEM students. Medicine is heterogenous, covering technique-oriented specialties (e.g., surgery) with little patient interaction, person-oriented specialties (e.g., pediatrics), and general practice. We present an online survey in which 502 UK university students (medicine, n = 344; STEM, n = 94; non-STEM, n = 64) reported their study area and career aspirations and completed the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), a quantitative self-report measure of autistic traits. Our main findings were that medical students had significantly lower AQ scores than other STEM ( p &lt; .001, d = 0.614) and non-STEM students ( p &lt; .001, d = 0.874), and that medical students aiming to pursue technique-focused career paths had significantly higher AQ scores than medical students aiming to pursue person-oriented career paths ( p = .009, d = 0.318). Each of these effects remained statistically significant after adjusting for alpha inflation. The findings of this study corroborate those of previous research reporting a link between autism and STEM; they also provide evidence that autistic traits are a predictor of medical students’ career ambitions, with those students with high AQ scores being more likely to pursue technique-focused (as opposed to person-focused) roles. This may be informative for developing and optimizing the strengths of individuals with differing levels of autistic traits.