Schizotypal Traits in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and the Impact on Social, Emotional and Behavioral Functioning
Use the MASK schizotypy scale to spot high-functioning ASD clients who may show hidden anxiety and odd speech at school.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team gave the MASK schizotypy scale to high-functioning children with autism. Teachers and parents filled out behavior checklists at the same time. The study looked at whether odd, schizotypal traits link to day-to-day problems at school.
What they found
Kids who scored high on MASK schizotypy had more teacher-reported internalizing problems. They also showed more inappropriate speech in class. The pattern held for high-functioning children with ASD.
How this fits with other research
Hurtig et al. (2009) and Mattila et al. (2010) already showed that high-functioning youth with ASD carry heavy psychiatric loads. Tagkouli et al. (2025) zooms in on one specific piece—schizotypal traits—showing it predicts teacher-noticed anxiety and odd speech.
Lopata et al. (2016) found parents rate more ASD traits than teachers on the BASC-2. The new study still trusts teacher eyes: MASK scores lined up best with what teachers saw, not parents.
Paul et al. (2005) tied odd prosody to poorer social ratings. The 2025 paper echoes this: inappropriate speech flagged by teachers went hand-in-hand with higher MASK scores. Together they suggest speech quirks are visible red flags for deeper social-emotional risk.
Why it matters
If you work with high-functioning ASD clients, add the quick MASK to your intake. A high score tells you to watch for internalizing distress and to target odd or off-topic speech in your plan. Catching these signs early lets you add anxiety coping tools and speech pragmatics goals before bigger problems grow.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Background: Schizotypal traits are considered to be clinical and cognitive features of Schizotypal Disorder in children (SDc). These traits are also seen in children and adolescents with high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This study examines the influence of schizotypal traits (and their severity) on the capacity of children with ASD to manage emotions, develop relationships with others, and adapt in school and family life. Methods: The Schizotypal traits of 63 children (6–12 years old) with High Functioning ASD were measured by the Melbourne Assessment of Schizotypy in Kids (MASK). Parents and teachers of the participating children completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Teachers’ Report Form (TRF) from the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment and the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC). Results: Overall, the results indicated correlations between the MASK scores and problems recorded by teachers, such as Internalizing problems (i.e., Anxious/Depressed, Withdrawn/Depressed, and Other problems score) according to TRF and Inappropriate speech scores, according to teacher’s ABC scales. Schizotypal traits impact the social, emotional, and behavioral functioning of children with ASD at home and school environments. Conclusions: The assessment of schizotypal traits in children with ASD provides critical information about a child’s functionality and cognitive development, also leading to the identification of potential cognitive-neuropsychological endophenotypes within ASD with characteristics of both Autism and Schizophrenia spectra. Τhe development of a valid assessment tool is required, as well as the design of targeted interventions to prevent the loss of functionality.
Brain Sciences, 2025 · doi:10.3390/brainsci15070668