A – 66 Exploring the Personality Profiles of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract Objective This review examines personality profiles in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) without intellectual disabilities, focusing on potential overlaps with personality disorders and distinctive patterns on standardized personality assessments to inform differential diagnosis. Method Literature was identified through searches of PsychInfo, Google Scholar, and PubMed databases using terms including "autism spectrum disorder," "personality profiles," "personality disorders," and "comorbid disorders." Studies were selected that investigated personality characteristics in adults with confirmed ASD diagnoses who completed validated personality assessments. Exclusion criteria included theoretical papers without empirical data and studies focusing primarily on children or individuals with intellectual disabilities. Results Analysis revealed that adults with ASD demonstrate distinctive personality profiles across multiple assessment measures including the PAI, MMPI-2-RF, and PNI-52. Individuals with ASD displayed higher social detachment, lower interpersonal warmth, elevated vulnerable narcissism traits, and increased internalizing psychopathology compared to normative samples. Multiple studies identified positive correlations between autistic traits and certain personality disorder features, particularly from Clusters A and C, with 48-62% of adults with ASD meeting criteria for at least one personality disorder. Obsessive-compulsive, avoidant, and schizoid personality disorders were most commonly comorbid. Conclusion Findings support distinct personality patterns in ASD that overlap with but remain distinguishable from personality disorders. Developmental history emerges as crucial for accurate differential diagnosis. Standardized personality assessments may provide valuable supplementary indicators for identifying ASD in adults. Future research should employ larger, more diverse samples and control for confounding psychopathological traits to better characterize the complex relationship between ASD and personality.