How to Avoid Mislabeling Autism as Personality Disorder

PostedNovember 13, 2025

UpdatedNovember 13, 2025

ByMy Patient Advice

Author: Beatrice Holloway, MSc | Reviewed by: Dr. Rebecca Fernandez, MBBS

Confusion between autism vs personality disorder is not uncommon, particularly in clinical settings overlapping social and emotional traits which leads to complicated assessment. To reduce errors, ensuring diagnostic accuracy through structured and specialist-informed evaluations is essential.

Autistic individuals may be mislabelled with personality disorders when their communication style, emotional regulation, or social presentation is misunderstood. Where personality disorders are generally shaped by relational patterns over time, autism has a neurodevelopmental origin, often with signs present from early childhood. Distinguishing the two requires a detailed developmental timeline and an understanding of how traits manifest and evolve.

Where Mislabeling Happens

Many of the overlaps stem from gaps in clinical training and limited use of autism-specific evaluation methods. Here are three key areas to consider during diagnosis:

Social Interpretation

Flat affect or minimal eye contact in autism may be seen as coldness, leading to inaccurate assumptions of narcissism or detachment disorders.

Rigidity and Routine

Preference for routine in autism may be mistaken for controlling or inflexible personality traits unless context is explored.

Emotional Regulation

Autistic shutdowns or meltdowns may look like mood instability without considering sensory triggers or communication barriers.

Early and accurate identification can change outcomes. Visit providers like Autism Detect for personal consultations tailored to complex diagnostic scenarios.

For a deeper dive into the science, diagnosis, and full treatment landscape,read our complete guide to misdiagnosis and differential diagnosis.

Beatrice Holloway, MSc

Author

Beatrice Holloway is a clinical psychologist with a Master’s in Clinical Psychology and a BS in Applied Psychology. She specialises in CBT, psychological testing, and applied behaviour therapy, working with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), developmental delays, and learning disabilities, as well as adults with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety, OCD, and substance use disorders. Holloway creates personalised treatment plans to support emotional regulation, social skills, and academic progress in children, and delivers evidence-based therapy to improve mental health and well-being across all ages.

All qualifications and professional experience stated above are authentic and verified by our editorial team. However, pseudonym and image likeness are used to protect the author's privacy.

Dr. Rebecca Fernandez, MBBS

Reviewer

Dr. Rebecca Fernandez is a UK-trained physician with an MBBS and experience in general surgery, cardiology, internal medicine, gynecology, intensive care, and emergency medicine. She has managed critically ill patients, stabilised acute trauma cases, and provided comprehensive inpatient and outpatient care. In psychiatry, Dr. Fernandez has worked with psychotic, mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders, applying evidence-based approaches such as CBT, ACT, and mindfulness-based therapies. Her skills span patient assessment, treatment planning, and the integration of digital health solutions to support mental well-being.

All qualifications and professional experience stated above are authentic and verified by our editorial team. However, pseudonym and image likeness are used to protect the reviewer's privacy.