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The Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) Children’s Version in Japan: A Cross-Cultural Comparison

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Abstract

In the current study, the child AQ was administered in Japan, to examine whether the UK results for reliability and validity generalize to a different culture. Assessment groups were: Group 1: = 81 children with Asperger Syndrome (AS) or high-functioning autism (HFA); Group 2: = 22 children diagnosed PDD-NOS with average IQ; and Group 3: = 372 randomly selected controls from primary and secondary schools. Both clinical groups scored significantly higher than controls (AS/HFA mean AQ = 31.9, SD = 6.93; PDD-NOS mean AQ = 28.0, SD = 6.88; controls mean AQ = 11.7, SD = 5.94). Among the controls, males scored significantly higher than females. The pattern of difference between clinical groups and controls was found to be similar in both countries.

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Acknowledgement

AW was supported by a grant (The Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research No.16530418) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. SBC and SW were supported by grant from the MRC.

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Correspondence to Akio Wakabayashi.

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Wakabayashi, A., Baron-Cohen, S., Uchiyama, T. et al. The Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) Children’s Version in Japan: A Cross-Cultural Comparison. J Autism Dev Disord 37, 491–500 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-006-0181-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-006-0181-3

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