Abstract
The Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) quantifies autistic traits in adults. This paper adapted the AQ for children (age 9.8–15.4 years). Three groups of participants were assessed: Group 1: n=52 adolescents with Asperger Syndrome (AS) or high-functioning autism (HFA); Group 2: n=79 adolescents with classic autism; and Group 3, n=50 controls. The adolescents with AS/HFA did not differ significantly from the adolescents with autism but both clinical groups scored higher than controls. Approximately 90% of the adolescents with AS/HFA and autism scored 30+, vs. none of the controls. Among the controls, boys scored higher than girls. The AQ can rapidly quantify where an adolescent is situated on the continuum from autism to normality.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors were supported by a grant from the MRC and the Lurie-Marks Foundation, during the period of this work. Rosa Hoekstra was supported by a grant from the HsN Hersenstichting Nederland, the Bekker-La Bastide Fund and the Schuurman Schimmel van Outeren Foundation.
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Appendix 1: The Adolescent AQ
Appendix 1: The Adolescent AQ
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Baron-Cohen, S., Hoekstra, R.A., Knickmeyer, R. et al. The Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ)—Adolescent Version. J Autism Dev Disord 36, 343–350 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-006-0073-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-006-0073-6