%0 Journal Article
%T Validation of Autism Spectrum Quotient Adult Version in an Australian Sample
%A J. Broadbent
%A I. Galic
%A M. A. Stokes
%J Autism Research and Treatment
%D 2013
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2013/984205
%X The Autism Spectrum Quotient is used to assess autistic spectrum traits in intellectually competent adults in both the general population and the autism spectrum community. While the autism spectrum Quotient has been validated in several different cultures, to date no study has assessed the psychometrics of the Autism Spectrum Quotient on an Australian population. The purpose of this study was to assess the psychometrics of the autism spectrum Quotient in an Australian sample of both typically developing individuals ( ) and individuals with autism spectrum disorder ( ). The results revealed that the internal consistency and the test-retest reliability were satisfactory; individuals with autism spectrum disorder scored higher on total Autism Spectrum Quotient score and its subscales than typically developing individuals; however, gender differences were not apparent on total score. Possible cultural differences may explain some of the psychometric variations found. The results of this analysis revealed that the Autism Spectrum Quotient was a reliable instrument for investigating variation in autistic symptomology in both typically developing and Autism Spectrum Disorders populations within an Australian population. 1. Introduction Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of disorders marked by impairments in social communication and repetitive behaviors [1]. While impairments in these areas must be present in order to meet the specific criteria for a positive diagnosis [2], there is growing evidence that severity of symptomology occurs along a continuum which ranges from severely impaired to low impairment not able to meet diagnostic criteria [3]. This suggests that it may also be possible for autistic traits to be normally distributed within the general population, where typically developing individuals display autistic traits that vary in both degree of severity and number [4]. A common measure of autistic traits is the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), designed by Baron-Cohen et al. [5] to assess Autistic Spectrum traits in intellectually competent adults in both the general population and the Autism Spectrum community. It is a 50-item questionnaire designed to assess five different areas of functioning: social skills, attention switching, attention to detail, communication, and imagination. The Total AQ score, which has a minimum total score of 0 and a maximum overall score of 50, has been used to differentiate individuals with an ASD from typically developing (TD) individuals in adults [5], adolescents [6], and children [7]. While the AQ purports
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/aurt/2013/984205/