Table 1.

sample of keyworkers responses scoring clients as present, possibly present on the DSM-V autistic traits on the homeless interview (DATHI)

Criterion	Examples of behaviours considered with autistic traits
A1—Deficits in social emotional reciprocity	The client will not initiate social contact, only converse very brief contact with others. Looks at the floor in conversation with staff, very little eye contact. Does not discuss feelings, but when in conversation is completely immersed	Does his own thing, will not engage with other people unless approached. Monosyllabic replies/Monopolises conversation	Absence of greetings. Responds only to question, does not engage in back/forth conversation
A2—Deficits in non verbal communicative behaviours used for social interaction	The client has a fixed gaze when conserving with keyworker	Fixed gaze, aggressive when he is placed in the position of having one to one contact. Facial expressions absent, keyworker stated would not know what he is thinking from the expression on his face, given lack of expression	The client does not care about the impact of his behaviour on others, no interest getting on with staff in the current service, hostile, suspicious, trust issues, no interest in engagement with others, has no cliques in or outside of the service, very isolated
A1—Deficits in developing, maintaining & understanding relationships	The client has limited engagement, brief interactions with staff	Client does not engage, according to keyworker is in his own world. Will only engage if spoken to, yes/no responses	The client has no interest in contacting anyone within the service, for example other clients, just wants to be left alone. The keyworker thought this behaviour was functional.
B1—Stereotyped, repetitive motor movements, use of objects or speech	Shakes legs when sitting and in discussion with staff, monotonous, formal tone of voice	The client paces a lot, even in own room of the house constantly walking back and forth… robotic, no feeling to the tone of client’s voice	Pacing back and forth a lot in room, never sitting according to keyworker, intonation of speech unchanging. Goes off on tangents in conversation
B2—Instances of sameness, inflexible adherence to routines or ritualized patterns of verbal or non verbal behaviour	The client has a fixed routine, going to and getting back from clinic, gets upset if this routine is changed	Isolated routine. Just watches Netflix in his service accommodation, only other routine, going out to get drugs. Isolates himself from other clients in the service. If his phone charge went missing/requested by staff to change room, he gets extremely aggressive. Personal space, territorial, does not want to be disturbed	Does not allow staff into his room when he is not there to supervise. Staff wanted him to change his locker as it was very old, hoards many objects, was resistant to changing his locker. Organisation of belongings—paranoid about people taking them, hence does not allow staff into his room unless he can supervise their activities
B3—Highly restricted fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus	The client constantly discusses a grant he has applied for with staff/keyworker; will not talk about anything else	Discusses sexual topics in conversation and acting out sexually inappropriate behaviour, boundary issues—proposing to random women in the street	The client’s room is very dark, keeps curtains closed, does not like bright light. Likes to touch people, even though he knows it is not correct
B4—Hyper or hypo reactivity to sensory inputs or unusual interest in sensory aspects of the environment	Eating habits, the client does not eat full/regular meals, only sweet foods	Eating behaviour. Diet consists of sweet stuffs, does not eat regular meals and gets very distressed if woken up at any time	The client will wear numerous layers of clothes regardless of the weather, possibly relates to long term rough sleeping