Dyspraxia and autistic traits in adults with and without autism spectrum conditions.

Diagnoses of dyspraxia and autism were based on self-report rather than clinical verification or in-person assessment, which may lead to under-reporting, especially in the control group where familiarity with the term 'dyspraxia' might be lower. The study used a cross-sectional design, so it cannot determine whether motor difficulties cause social issues or if they share a common underlying cause. The control group excluded individuals with several psychiatric conditions and those with family members with autism, which may limit the generalisability of the findings to the broader population. The sample was recruited online through specific autism research websites, which may introduce selection bias regarding education and employment status compared to the general population.

The study was supported by the Autism Research Centre at the University of Cambridge. The authors declared no competing financial interests.

Do not assume that treating motor coordination difficulties in adults with autism will improve their social skills or empathy. The study found no significant association between dyspraxia and increased social difficulties within the autism group, suggesting that social challenges in autism are not primarily driven by motor coordination issues.