A major new analysis confirms a strong link between autism and the psychosis spectrum.
A systematic review and meta-analysis examined data from nearly seven million participants. It found people with one condition have approximately seven times higher odds of being diagnosed with the other. They also score substantially higher on trait measures of the other condition.
The association holds at both trait and diagnostic levels, addressing previous questions about whether the link was due to methodological issues.
Negative psychosis-spectrum traits, such as reduced motivation or expression, showed the strongest correlation with autistic traits. Positive symptoms, like unusual experiences, had weaker correlations.
The researchers noted high heterogeneity and inconsistent reporting among the included studies. They called for further research to better understand the crossover between the two conditions.