In recent years, increasing attention has been devoted to the phenomenon of autism diagnosis in adolescence and adulthood . Waiting lists for assessment have grown rapidly. In England, for example, the average waiting time for an autism diagnosis reached 300 days , substantially exceeding the 91-day target recommended by NICE (Fagg & Woodhead 2023). The rising demand for assessment reflects a broader shift in public awareness and clinical practice. Public discussion often pre

Two Spectra or Continua? Autism and schizophrenia are two complex neurodevelopmental disorders/conditions that have been extensively studied in the field of psychiatry. Although ASD and schizophrenia share some overlapping symptoms and risk factors, they are distinct neurodevelopmental conditions with different diagnostic criteria and clinical presentations. Historical Note Both autism and schizophrenia have a long history, but their understanding and diagnostic criteria have

Prevalence and comorbidity Comorbidity , or the coexistence of two or more disorders, is common in both autistic individuals and people with psychotic disorders. Psychosis and bipolar disorder are two commonly occurring psychiatric disorders that affect autistic individuals throughout their lives (Ghaziuddin & Ghaziuddin 2021; Foss-Feig et al. 2021; Jutla et al. 2021; Vaquerizo-Serrano et al. 2021; Bitsika et al. 2021). In fact, the prevalence of these disorders is significan