Personality characteristics of parents of autistic children: a controlled study.

Parents of 21 autistic children and of 21 children with other handicaps, matched for sex, age, IQ and father's occupation, were interviewed with a schedule known to discriminate between schizoid and non-schizoid people. Ratings were reliable and the interviewers remained "blind". Parents of autistic children, especially fathers, were significantly more often rated as having schizoid traits. They were also more intellectual.