Developmental Regression in Autism Spectrum Disorders and the Broad Autism Phenotype

This study examined the relationship between the Broad Autism Phenotype (BAP) and developmental regression in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. A sample of 2757 children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders was drawn from the Simons Simplex Collection, an archival database administered by the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI). The Autism Diagnostic Interview – Revised (ADI-R) was utilized to capture regression status, while the Broad Autism Phenotype Questionnaire (BAPQ) collected information pertaining to parental personality attributes (i.e., aloofness, rigidity, and use of pragmatic language) associated with the BAP. Analysis of Variance demonstrated that parents of children experiencing more significant regressions have a tendency to self-report lower BAPQ ratings than parents of children experiencing either no regression or possible regression. These effects were partially attributable to fathers of other loss children, who may have exhibited a selective blind spot in evaluating their own skill deficiencies. While fathers with BAP traits appear capable of identifying BAP traits in their children, they may lack the insight to recognize these same traits within themselves. Thus, self-reports of father’s BAP may require supplementation with informant information or professional clinical evaluation.