Correlation between personality traits in parents and symptoms of autism in children

Abstract
Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder may be more likely to have a mental disorder, both due to genetic and environmental reasons. A cross-sectional study involving 161 children, 161 mothers and 108 fathers. Diagnosis followed the criteria established in DSM–5. Symptom severity was evaluated using the Childhood Autism Rating Scale. The Factorial Personality Inventory served to evaluate parents’ personality traits. Several correlations were found between mothers and fathers personality traits and children symptoms. In both parents, personality traits associated with greater intransigence/less flexibility and fewer social skills were those associated with more severe autism symptoms in the children.