Table 8.

Comparative overview of personality disorder and autism spectrum disorder in relation to developmental features.

Personality Disorder	Autism Spectrum Disorder
Features of PD are not typically diagnosed in pre-adolescent children.	Features of ASD must be present in pre-adolescent children.
Features of PD tend to appear first in childhood, increase during adolescence, and continue to be manifest into adulthood, although individuals may not come to clinical attention until later in life.	Onset of ASD occurs during the developmental period, typically in early childhood, but characteristic symptoms may not become fully manifest until later, when social demands exceed limited capacities.
PD is relatively stable after young adulthood.	A first ASD diagnosis in adulthood may be precipitated by a breakdown in domestic or work relationships. Clinical presentation may not occur until social demands overwhelm the capacity to compensate.
Self-harm and moodiness are more common during adolescence than during adulthood.	Girls with ASD tend to withdraw socially and react with emotional changes to their social adjustment difficulties. Depressive symptoms often comprise a presenting feature.