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Evdokia Tagkouli
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
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Evangelia Chrysanthi Kouklari
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
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Vassiliki Ntre
Aghia Sophia Children’s Hospital
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Artemios Pehlivanidis
National and KapodistrianUniversity of Athens,
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Nikolaos Stefanis
First Department of Psychiatry, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece
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Katerina Papanikolaou
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Presenter
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Abstract
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Schizotypal traits are recognized as both clinical and cognitive features of Schizotypal Disorder in children (SDc) and are also present in children and adolescents with high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This study explores the impact of schizotypal traits, including their severity, on the ability of children with ASD to manage emotions, establish relationships, and adapt to school and family environments. The schizotypal traits of 63 children aged 6 to 12 years with high-functioning ASD were assessed using the Melbourne Assessment of Schizotypy in Kids (MASK). Additionally, parents and teachers completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the Teacher’s Report Form (TRF) from the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment, along with the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC). The findings revealed significant associations between MASK scores and teacher-reported difficulties, particularly internalizing problems (i.e., Anxious/Depressed, Withdrawn/Depressed, & Other problems score) on the TRF, as well as the Inappropriate speech score on the teacher-reported ABC scales. Assessing schizotypal traits in children with ASD offers valuable insights into their cognitive development and may contribute to identifying a potential cognitive-neuropsychological endophenotype within ASD that integrates features of both the autism and schizophrenia spectra. These findings underscore the need for the development of reliable assessment tools and the design of targeted interventions to mitigate the risk of social, emotional, and behavioral dysfunction.
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