Is There a Relationship Between Cyber-Dependent Crime, Autistic-Like Traits and Autism?
Katy-Louise Payne, Ailsa Russell, Richard Mills and 3 others
PMID 31267290WHAT IT FOUND
Higher autistic-like traits were associated with reporting at least one cyber-dependent crime, but people who reported an autism diagnosis were less likely to report such crime.
This cross-sectional survey cannot show cause.
Key findings
01For each increase in autistic-like trait score, the adjusted odds of reporting at least one cyber-dependent crime were 4% higher.
02Only 5 of 122 participants who reported cyber-dependent crime had an autism diagnosis, compared with 18 of 168 participants who did not report cyber-dependent crime.
03An exploratory mediation analysis found that about 40% of the association between autistic-like traits and cyber-dependent crime was mediated by advanced digital skills.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they found
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What it does not show
Data were collected at one time, so the study cannot show which came first. Self-reported cyber-dependent crime and autism diagnosis were not independently verified. Participants were recruited through computer science and cyber-skills channels, so the sample may not represent the general population. Response rate was unknown and selection bias could not be ruled out. The apparent protective association with autism diagnosis was based on small numbers and could be chance. Only explicit social cognition was measured, not implicit social cognition.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that autism increases cybercrime risk. The study found higher autistic-like traits were associated with more self-reported cyber-dependent crime, but people with a self-reported autism diagnosis were less likely to report such crime, and the cross-sectional self-report design cannot show cause.