The autism-spectrum quotient (aq): evidence from asperger syndrome/high-functioning autism, malesand females, scientists and mathematicians.
Currently there are no brief, self-administered instruments for measuring the degree to which an adult with normal intelligence has the traits associated with the autistic spectrum. In this paper, we report on a new instrument to assess this: the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ). Individuals score in t...
| Published in: | Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders Vol. 31; no. 1; pp. 5 - 18 |
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
| Format: | research Journal Article |
| Published: |
Springer Nature
Feb2001
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| Online Access: | View this record in EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=106080089&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ccm uiTerm: 106080089 longDbName: CINAHL Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: dissinfo: jinfo: jid: 01623257 AUT jtl: Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders issn: 01623257 maglogo: N pubinfo: dt: Feb2001 vid: 31 iid: 1 pid: 237 pub: Springer Nature place: New York, New York artinfo: ui: 106080089 106080089 2009390115 10.1023/a:1005653411471 NLM11439754 106080089 ppf: 5 ppct: 13 formats: fmt: @attributes: type: P tig: atl: The autism-spectrum quotient (aq): evidence from asperger syndrome/high-functioning autism, malesand females, scientists and mathematicians. aug: au: Baron-Cohen S Wheelwright S Skinner R Martin J Clubley E sug: subj: Asperger Syndrome Diagnosis Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Statistics and Numerical Data Adult Asperger Syndrome Psychosocial Factors Autism Spectrum Disorder Psychosocial Factors Diagnosis, Differential England Female Intelligence Male Personality Assessment Statistics and Numerical Data Psychometrics Reproducibility of Results Students Psychosocial Factors Human Adult: 19-44 years Female Male ab: Currently there are no brief, self-administered instruments for measuring the degree to which an adult with normal intelligence has the traits associated with the autistic spectrum. In this paper, we report on a new instrument to assess this: the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ). Individuals score in the range 0-50. Four groups of subjects were assessed: Group 1: 58 adults with Asperger syndrome (AS) or high-functioning autism (HFA); Group 2: 174 randomly selected controls. Group 3: 840 students in Cambridge University; and Group 4: 16 winners of the UK Mathematics Olympiad. The adults with AS/HFA had a mean AQ score of 35.8 (SD = 6.5), significantly higher than Group 2 controls (M = 16.4, SD = 6.3). 80% of the adults with AS/HFA scored 32+, versus 2% of controls. Among the controls, men scored slightly but significantly higher than women. No women scored extremely highly (AQ score 34+) whereas 4% of men did so. Twice as many men (40%) as women (21%) scored at intermediate levels (AQ score 20+). Among the AS/HFA group, male and female scores did not differ significantly. The students in Cambridge University did not differ from the randomly selected control group, but scientists (including mathematicians) scored significantly higher than both humanities and social sciences students, confirming an earlier study that autistic conditions are associated with scientific skills. Within the sciences, mathematicians scored highest. This was replicated in Group 4, the Mathematics Olympiad winners scoring significantly higher than the male Cambridge humanities students. 6% of the student sample scored 327plus; on the AQ. On interview, 11 out of 11 of these met three or more DSM-IV criteria for AS/HFA, and all were studying sciences/mathematics, and 7 of the 11 met threshold on these criteria. Test-retest and interrater reliability of the AQ was good. The AQ is thus a valuable instrument for rapidly quantifying where any given individual is situated on the continuum from autism to normality. Its potential for screening for autism spectrum conditions in adults of normal intelligence remains to be fully explored. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: research Journal Article ougenre: Article language: English refInfo: holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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