Broader autism phenotype

This informal label primarily describes family members of autistic people, who have been found to share some autistic characteristics, rather than the general population. These family members are concordantly argued to have minor difficulties in social communication and social-emotional abilities. They may also have some restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs) and/or behavioral rigidity. BAP has been argued to be a subclinical form of autism.

People exhibiting the broader autism phenotype are sometimes described as having autistic traits, subthreshold manifestations of autism spectrum disorder, or autistic-like features.

Characteristics

People exhibiting the broader autism phenotype usually have autism-like traits that are not significant enough to qualify for a diagnosis of autism. For example, they may seem aloof, reserved, or standoffish to others. Commonly, language and communication skills display limitations. For example, people with the broader autism phenotype are more likely than average to have difficulty learning to read or to spell or with understanding stories. However, while a diagnosis of autism requires a significant level of impairment over multiple criteria, people may be identified as having BAP if they meet only one criterion related to social functioning, communication, cognition, or interests and behaviors, or if their behavior is too close to typical to qualify for a diagnosis.

Cognitively, people with BAP may also show rigid thinking and behavioral patterns, which can manifest as perfectionism or obsessions. They may prefer to focus on details rather than the bigger picture. Their thinking patterns may be inflexible, and they may have difficulties in executive function.

Socially, BAP is associated with greater loneliness and less satisfaction in social relationships. They may be socially awkward or shy. They usually have fewer friends or lower-quality friendships. They typically rate low for the personality trait of extraversion. In children, social play skills can develop more slowly than average. They may have pragmatic language impairments.

Emotionally, BAP is associated with higher levels of neuroticism, which leads to higher levels of anxiety, to greater struggles over stressful experiences, and to overall lower well-being. BAP is associated with a higher risk of depression, though whether this is a feature of BAP or primarily due to familial stress is unknown. Women with BAP are at higher risk of postpartum depression and other complications of pregnancy, and they are less likely to perceive or imagine an emotional bond with their newborn babies.

People with BAP display mild or no impairments compared to people with a formal autism diagnosis. These tend to manifest as struggling with interpersonal relationships at home, at work, and at school. People with BAP have normal intelligence and do not have an elevated risk of epilepsy. They tend not to have significant cognitive impairments, and often have insight into their differences.