Autism spectrum disorder and personality disorders: Comorbidity and differential diagnosis

Table 7 Studies comparing autism spectrum disorder patients with personality disorders patients on different assessment measures

Ref.	Participants	Comparison group	Measures	Results
Strunz et al[26], 2015	59 ASD (83% AS, 17% HFA)	62 NPD, 80 BPD, 106 NC	NEO-PI-R; DAPP BQ; SCID-I/MINI; SCID-II	On the NEO-PI-R: Conscientiousness: NCC = ASD > BPD and NPD; Neuroticism: NCC < ASD = NPD < BPD; Extraversion: ASD < BPD, NPD, NCC; Openness for experience: ASD < NCC, BPD, NPD; Agreeableness: ASD = BPD and NPD > NCC; on the DAPP-BQ; Inhibitedness: ASD = BPD > NCC and NPD; Dissocial Behaviour: NCC = ASD < BPD and NPD; Emotional dysregulation: NCC < ASD = NPD < BPD; Compulsivity: ASD > BPD, NPD, NCC
López-Pérez et al[95], 2017	30 AS	30 BPD60 matched NC	SCID-ISCID-IIEmotion regulation of others and self (two scales: extrinsic affect improvement, extrinsic affect worsening)Interpersonal emotion management	Affect improvement: BPD = AS < NNC; Affect worsening: BPD = AS = NNC; Affect improvement > affect worsening in BPD e NCC; Affect improvement = affect worsening in ASD; Adaptive interpersonal strategies (attention deployment, cognitive change) ASD < BPD and NNC; Maladaptive interpersonal strategies (expressive suppression) ASD > BPD and control.
Dudas et al[92], 2017	624 ASD	23 BPD; 16 ASD+ BPD; 2081 NC	AQ; EQ; SQR; SCID-II	AQ: NC < BPD = ASC < ASC+BPD; EQ:NC = BPD > ASC = ASC+BPD; SQR NC < BPD = ASC = ASC+BPD
Murphy[100]2006	39 AS; Male forensic patients detained in high security psychiatric care	39 PD (antisocial and/or borderline)39 SC with positive symptoms detained in high security psychiatric care	WAIS-R; ToM measures	IQ PD = AS > SC; AS and SC performed worse on two ToM measures (the Revised Eyes Task and the second order mental representation stories)
Stanfield et al[87], 2017	28 ASD	21 SPD; 10 CM; 33 NC	ADOS-G; SCID-II; PANSS; WAISsocial judgment taskEkmann 60 facies task; fRMI task of social judgement	SPD = CM = ASD < controls on social judgment task and Ekman 60-Faces Test; on positive symptoms: ASD < SPD = CM; on negative symptoms ASD = SPD > CM; fRMI: hyperactivation in SPD and CM group compared to ASD was found in the amygdala and the cerebellum
Booules-Katri et al[84], 2019	35 HFA	SSPD (n = 30) and a NC (n = 36)	O-LIFE questionnaire; SCID-I; SCID-II; ADI-R; ADOS; WAIS-III; ToM test	HFA showed greater impairment and no dissociation between affective and cognitive ToM components; SSPD scored significantly lower on cognitive than affective ToM test

BPD: Borderline personality disorder; CM: Comorbid group (SPD+ASD); EQ: Empathy quotient; NPD: Narcissistic personality disorder; O-LIFE questionnaire: Short version of the Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences questionnaire; PANSS: Positive and negative syndrome scale; NC: Non clinical control group; SQR: Systemizing quotient revised; SSPD: Schizotypal-schizoid personality disorder; ToM: Theory of mind.