An Investigation of Quality of Mixed-Neurodevelopmental Intimate Adult Relationships With an Emphasis on the Typically Developing Partner Perspective

Abstract

The concepts of mixed-neurodevelopmental and same-neurodevelopmental intimate adult relationships are introduced and the quality of mixed relationships is investigated with an emphasis on the typically developing partner perspective. 173 participants, including 25 couples, completed the Subthreshold Autism Trait Questionnaire (SATQ) (Kanne, Wang, & Christ, 2012), the Quality of Relationships Inventory (QRI) (Pierce, 1994; Pierce et al., 1997), a short demographics questionnaire and intimate partnership pairing questions through an online survey tool. Typically developing individuals in mixed-neurodevelopmental intimate relationships, or relationships with individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), report lower quality of intimate relationship than typically developing individuals in same neurodevelopmental relationships, or relationships with other typically developing individuals. Typically developing individuals who report they believe their partners have undiagnosed ASD report no significant difference in intimate relationship quality than typically developing individuals who report their partners have diagnosed ASD. Typically developing individuals who report to be in mixed-neurodevelopmental relationships are shown to have lower levels of subthreshold autism traits than typically developing individuals who report to be in same neurodevelopmental relationships. Among mixed and same-neurodevelopmental partnerships, no association between differences in partners’ levels of autism traits and individual partners’ perceptions of intimate relationship quality is found. No conclusive difference between typically developing partners’ and ASD partners’ reports of relationship quality in mixed neurodevelopmental intimate relationships is found, but mean QRI scores are in the predictive direction of establishing that typically developing individuals experience lower intimate relationship quality than their ASD partners. A larger sample size is necessary. Recommendations for future research are made.