Diagnostic Confusion of Schizotypal Personality Disorder and High-Functioning Autism

The Schizotypal Personality Disorder (STPD) and High-Functioning Autism (HFA) are frequently conflated for and confused for each other by medical professionals, which frequently leads to incorrect treatment. Misdiagnosis and diagnostic confusion is primarily caused by the similarities of the symptoms of both conditions and the internal gender bias of the medical professional. This document serves to demystify the differences between the disorders and assist medical professionals and students in understanding the nuances between STPD and HFA, in particular the underlying causes of symptoms, as well as diagnostic questions and general information.