Assessment & Research
Higher Autistic Traits Among Criminals, But No Link to Psychopathy: Findings from a High-Security Prison in Portugal.
★ The Verdict
Prisoners show more autistic traits than controls, but the traits do not signal psychopathy.
✓ Read this if BCBAs who consult to courts or run adult social-skills programs.
✗ Skip if Clinicians serving only young children or non-forensic cases.
01Research in Context
01
What this study did
ABA clinicians do not treat prisoners, yet the data warn against equating autistic traits with psychopathy.
If you consult to courts or social-skills groups, note that communication and imagination gaps, not callousness, may underlie awkward behavior.
Keep language concrete and state intent plainly, echoing the Kernahan et al. (2025) finding.
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When you write a report for court, spell out the client’s intent in plain words.
02At a glance
Intervention
not applicable
Design
survey
Sample size
101
Population
not specified
Finding
positive
03Original abstract
The relationship between autism, criminality and psychopathy has gained increased attention in recent years, although research has focused on autism spectrum disorders, and not autistic traits. We measured autistic traits (with the Autism Spectrum Quotient) in a sample of 101 inmates from a high-security prison and compared them to a control group, using a logistic regression model that included age, education, psychopathology, psychopathy and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder as covariates. Prisoners had more autistic traits (OR 1.13, p = 0.002) due to higher scores in the communication (OR 1.23) and imagination (OR 1.30) domains. No correlations were found between autistic and psychopathic traits. Our study points to the presence of autistic traits as being independent risk factors for imprisonment, although not associated with psychopathy.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2018 · doi:10.1007/s10803-018-3576-z