Revisiting the Relationship between Cybercrime, Autistic Traits, and Autism.

This study looked at whether autistic people are more likely to be involved in cybercrime. They surveyed 302 people online, including 25 autistic individuals. While autistic participants were more likely to report cybercrime involvement, this wasn't because of better computer skills or difficulty understanding others' thoughts. The researchers think other factors might explain this connection and note that more research is needed to understand why this relationship exists.

This online survey study examined the relationship between autism, autistic traits, and cybercrime involvement among 302 participants, including 25 autistic individuals. Results showed that autistic individuals were more likely to report engagement in cybercrime compared to non-autistic participants. However, this relationship was not explained by advanced digital skills or theory of mind deficits. Independently, autistic traits alone were not significantly associated with cyber-criminality.

The researchers suggest that additional factors may moderate the autism-cybercrime relationship, including specific autistic characteristics, understanding of cybercrime concepts, and willingness to disclose criminal activities. The findings challenge simplistic assumptions about autism and cybercrime while highlighting the need for further research into underlying mechanisms.

Findings suggest need for targeted education and support for autistic individuals regarding cybercrime risks and legal consequences. Clinicians should be aware of potential vulnerability without assuming causation through digital skills or social cognition deficits. Further research needed to identify specific risk and protective factors.

Small sample of autistic participants (n=25), reliance on self-reported cybercrime activity which may be subject to disclosure bias, cross-sectional design preventing causal inferences, and limited understanding of potential moderating factors that could explain the observed relationship.

Reports of cybercrime being committed by people on the autism spectrum often imply that autism may be more prevalent among cybercriminals than the general population, although this remains unproven. In an online survey of 302 participants, we found that autistic individuals (n = 25) were more likely to report engagement in cybercrime than non-autistic individuals, but this relationship was not mediated by advanced digital skills or deficits in theory of mind. Furthermore, independent of autism diagnosis, autistic traits were not significantly associated with self-reported cyber-criminality. We propose that there may be additional factors moderating the relationship between autism, autistic traits, and cybercrime, such as specific autistic characteristics, understanding of cybercrime, and willingness to disclose criminal activity.