Psychiatry Research EG

Background Recent research shows that for every kid who receives an actual autism diagnosis, there is another who has autistic traits including repetitive behaviors and communication problems. Aim The aim of this study was to detect the existence of autistic traits among offspring of schizophrenic patients in the age group from 4 to 11 years, and its association with the sociodemographic data. Patients and methods Sixty-three offspring of schizophrenic patients (who were diagnosed using DSM-IV) from 4 to 11 years of age (based on a pilot study) were selected using a systematic random sampling technique. The Autism Spectrum Quotient-Children’s version (AQ-Child) questionnaire was applied and medical, neurological history and examination, and psychological assessment were carried out for each child. Results According to the AQ-Child, the normal insignificant score of autistic traits ranges from 0 to 45 and no child lied in this category. About 55.6 % of the children scored below the cutoff point (46–75) and 44.4% of the children scored above the cutoff point (76). Conclusion The frequency of autistic traits was markedly high in the children of schizophrenic patients. No statistically significant difference was found between above and below AQ score groups as regards sociodemographic and clinical factors, except for socioeconomic status. Keywords: autistic traits, income, offspring, parents, schizophrenia, sociodemographic