Abstract:
Autism is a poorly known disability, but it is constantly increasing. The studies carried out in Algeria on the
frequency of autism remain insufficient and do not allow an accurate assessment of the number of people with autism.
Our study, conducted on a group of 67 parents of children with autism and a group of 59 normal parents in the
region of Mostaganem, the relevance of a self-questionnaire for the characterization of a parental endophenotype, defined by
the presence Significant "traits related" to autistic disorders two main factors, the first corresponding to the dimensions
"socialization and communication", the second to dimensions "rigidity and imagination"
The results of our survey indicate a male predominance, with a sex ratio of 2: 1 and. 51% of affected children are
older and younger children. In addition, consanguinity associated with an increased risk of autism.
We also confirm the results obtained in our study concerning the comparison between parents of children with
autism and parents of the normal group on larger numbers, identifying a significant difference between the two groups for the
factor "rigidity and imagination". Finally, we show that the scores obtained by the parents of autistic children and the normal
parents evolve significantly between childhood and adulthood.
In conclusion, the self-questionnaire FAQ for detecting endophenotypes associated with the autistic spectrum in
parents of children with autism. This tool can be useful for characterizing the phenotype of relatives in genetic studies.
