1em;" |- !Common signs for autistic spectrum disorder |- | avoidance of eye-contact little or no babbling as an infant not showing interest in indicated objects delayed language skills (e.g. having a smaller vocabulary than peers or difficulty expressing themselves in words) reduced interest in other children or caretakers, possibly with more interest in objects difficulty playing reciprocal games (e.g. peek-a-boo) hyper- or hypo-sensitivity to or unusual response to the smell, texture, sound, taste, or appearance of things resistance to changes in routine repetitive, limited, or otherwise unusual usage of toys (e.g. lining up toys) repetition of words or phrases (echolalia) repetitive motions or movements, including stimming self-harming |} Broader autism phenotype The broader autism phenotype (BAP) describes individuals who may not have ASD but do have autistic traits, such as avoiding eye contact and stimming. Social and communication skills In social contexts, autistic people may respond and behave differently than people without ASD. Impairments in social skills present many challenges for autistic people. Deficits in social skills may lead to problems with friendships, romantic relationships, daily living, and vocational success. One study that examined the outcomes of autistic adults found that, compared to the general population, autistic people were less likely to be married, but it is unclear whether this outcome was due to deficits in social skills, intellectual impairment, or another reason. One factor is likely discrimination against autistic people, which is perpetuated by myths—for example, the myth that they have no empathy. Until 2013, deficits in social function and communication were considered two separate symptom domains of autism. The current social communication domain criteria for autism diagnosis require individuals to have deficits across three social skills: social-emotional reciprocity, nonverbal communication, and developing and sustaining relationships. A range of social-emotional reciprocity difficulties (an individual's ability to naturally engage in social interactions) may be present. Autistic individuals may lack mutual sharing of interests; many autistic children prefer not to play or interact with others. They may lack awareness or understanding of other people's thoughts or feelings: a child may get too close to peers (entering their personal space) without noticing that this makes them uncomfortable. They may also engage in atypical behaviors to gain attention: a child may push a peer to gain attention before starting a conversation. Older autistic children and adults perform worse on tests of face and emotion recognition than non-autistic individuals, although this may be