The Prevalence of Autistic Traits in a Sample of Young Adults Referred to a Generalized Mental Health Outpatient Clinic.

Background/objectives: The diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is undergoing significant revisions, impacting prevalence estimates in the general population. Moreover, the rise of a dimensional perspective on psychopathology has broadened our understanding of autism, recognizing that subthreshold autistic features extend throughout the general population. However, there remains a limited understanding of the prevalence of ASD traits in individuals with psychiatric disorders, particularly in young adults, who are at an age where several mental health conditions emerge. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of ASD traits in a sample of young adults (18-24 years old) attending a generalized mental health outpatient clinic.

Methods: A total of 259 young adult patients completed the self-report screening questionnaires Autism Quotient (AQ) and Ritvo Autism and Asperger Diagnostic Scale-Revised (RAADS-R).

Results: A total of 16.2% of our sample scored above the cut-off in both scales; this percentage decreased to 13.13% when restricting the RAADS-R cut-off to >119, as suggested for clinical samples. The association with sociodemographic features is discussed.

Conclusions: We argue that screening for autistic traits should be integrated into the assessment of young adults presenting with nonspecific psychiatric symptoms or psychological distress. Although there is ongoing debate over the use of self-report screening tools, a positive result on both the AQ and RAADS-R should prompt clinicians to pursue a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation using structured or semi-structured interviews.