Abstract
The Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) has been developed to measure the degree to which an adult with normal intelligence has autistic traits. In this paper it is evaluated for its potential as a screening questionnaire in clinical practice on one hundred consecutive referrals to a diagnostic clinic for adults suspected of having Asperger Syndrome or high functioning autism (AS/HFA). The results indicate that it has good discriminative validity and good screening properties at a threshold score of 26. The implications of these results are discussed.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
InstitutionalAuthorNameAmerican Psychiatric Association (1994) DSM-IV Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders EditionNumber4 American Psychiatric Association Washington DC
J. Barnard V. Harvey A. Prior D. Potter (2001) Ignored or ineligible? The reality for adults with autistic spectrum disorders National Autistic Society London
S. Baron-Cohen (2003) The essential difference: men, women and the extreme male brain Penguin London
S. Baron-Cohen S. Wheelwright R. Skinner J. Martin E. Clubley (2001) ArticleTitleThe Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ): Evidence from Asperger Syndrome/High Functioning Autism, Males and Females, Scientists and Mathematicians Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 31 5–17
D. V. M. Bishop M. Maybery A. Maley D. Wong W. Hill J. Hallmayer (2004) ArticleTitleUsing self-report to identify the broad phenotype in parents of children with artistic spectrum disorders: a study using the Austism-spectrum Quotient Journal of child psychology and psychiatry 45(8) 1431–1436
F. Ehlers C. Gillberg L. Wing (1999) ArticleTitleA screening questionnaire for Asperger Syndrome and other high functioning autistic spectrum disorders in school age children Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 29 129–142
S. Ehlers C. Gillberg (1993) ArticleTitleThe epidemiology of Asperger syndrome. A total population study Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 34 1327–1350
Garnett M., Attwood T. (1995). The Australian Scale for Asperger Syndrome: Paper presented at the 1995 Australian National Autism Conference, Brisbane, Australia.
P. Howlin A. Moore (1997) ArticleTitleDiagnosis in autism–A survey of over 1200 patients in the UK Autism 1 135–162
S. Leekham S. Libby L. Wing J. Gould C. Gillberg (2000) ArticleTitleComparison of ICD-10 and Gillberg’s criteria for Asperger Syndrome Autism 4 11–28
C. Lord M. Rutter A. Le Couteur (1994) ArticleTitleAutism diagnostic interview – Revised Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 24 659–686
S. Mayes S. Calhoun D. Crites (2001) ArticleTitleDoes DSM-IV Asperger’s Disorder exist? Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology 3 263–271
S. Ozonoff M. South J. N. Miller (2000) ArticleTitleDSM-IV – defined Asperger Syndrome: cognitive, behavioural and early history differentiation from high-functioning autism Autism 4 29–46
A. Powell (2002) Taking responsibility. Good practice guidelines for services: Adults with Asperger Syndrome National Autistic Society London
InstitutionalAuthorNameStata Corporation (2001) Stata Version 7 Stata Corporation College Station, TX
L. Wing (1997) The Autistic Spectrum Pergamon London
InstitutionalAuthorNameWorld Health Organisation (1992) The Tenth Revision of the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) WHO Geneva
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Woodbury-Smith, M., Robinson, J., Wheelwright, S. et al. Screening Adults for Asperger Syndrome Using the AQ: A Preliminary Study of its Diagnostic Validity in Clinical Practice. J Autism Dev Disord 35, 331–335 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-005-3300-7
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-005-3300-7