Broad autism phenotype and parental personality in parents of preschoolers with autism: associations with social and behavioral profile.

Abstract

Introduction: Biological parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) frequently exhibit features of the broader autism phenotype (BAP), encompassing subclinical social, cognitive, and personality traits related to autism. Elevated BAP rates among first-degree relatives support the strong heritability of ASD. This study investigated BAP traits and maladaptive personality domains in biological mothers and fathers of preschool-aged children at first ASD diagnosis and examined associations between parental BAP and children's autism features.

Methods: Eighty-nine children with ASD (2-5 years) and their parents were assessed. Autism-related traits were measured using the Social Responsiveness Scale-Second Edition (SRS-2) and degree of autism features with the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Second Edition (ADOS-2). Parental personality functioning was evaluated with the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5). Children's behavioral functioning and adaptive skills were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL 1.5-5) and Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales-Second Edition (VABS-2). BAP was defined as an SRS-2T-score ≥60. Families were classified as BAP+ if at least one parent met this threshold and BAP- otherwise.

Results: Twenty-five percent of parents met criteria for BAP (26% of fathers; 24% of mothers). Parental BAP was associated with higher maladaptive personality traits (all PID-5 domains). Children in BAP+ families showed higher SRS-2 total and subdomain scores and higher ADOS-2 CSS (p < .05), indicating greater degree of autism features. No group differences emerged in behavioral problems or adaptive functioning. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that fathers' SRS-2 scores significantly predicted children's ADOS-2 domain scores after controlling for demographic and cognitive variables, whereas mothers' scores did not.

Conclusions: Parental BAP traits, particularly in fathers, are associated with greater autism features in young children, underscoring the importance of intergenerational trait profiles for early assessment and family-based intervention planning.