Schizoid personality in girls: a follow-up study--what are the links with Asperger's syndrome?

Child psychiatric records of 33 girls given a diagnosis of "schizoid" personality in childhood, were compared with records of a control group of other referred girls and with those of 32 pairs of "schizoid" and control boys. Seventeen "schizoid" girls were seen again in adult life and compared with 32 "schizoid" boys previously followed up at the same age. The features of "schizoid" girls in childhood and adult life were very similar to those of the boys. A striking finding, possible due to referral bias, was the high rate of antisocial conduct in "schizoid" girls, both in childhood and later life. The dilemmas of diagnostic classification of this group of patients are discussed.