The Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) Japanese versions: Evidence from high-functioning clinical group and normal adults

Abstract

Baron-Cohen, Wheelwright, Skinner, Martin, and Clubley (2001) constructed brief, self-administered instruments named the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ), 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 Japanese version of this new instrument. Three groups of Japanese subjects were assessed. Group 1 (n = 57) consisted of adults with Asperger Syndrome (AS) or high-functioning autism (HFA). The other two groups were control groups. Subjects of Group 2 (n = 194) were normal adults and those of Group 3 (n = 1 050) were students selected from five Universities in Tokyo and Chiba. The adults with AS/HFA had a mean AQ score of 37.9 (SD = 5.31), which was significantly higher than the two control groups (Group 2: X = 18.5, SD = 6.21, and Group 3: X = 20.7, SD = 6.38). While eighty-eight percent of the adults with AS/HFA scored more than 33 points, only 3% of subjects in the two control groups indicated those points. Among the controls, males scored slightly but significantly higher than females. The reliability of the AQ in both test-retest and inter-rater measures were significantly high.

The Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ)—Adolescent Version

“…The AQ has been found to correlate inversely with the Empathy Quotient (EQ) (Baron- The AQ has also been found to be strongly predictive of who receives a diagnosis of AS in a clinic setting (Woodbury-Smith, Robinson, & Baron- Cohen, 2005). The AQ also reveals sex differences (males> females) and cognitive differences (scientists>non-scientists) (Baron-Cohen et al, 2001), a pattern of results that has been closely replicated in a Japanese sample (Wakabayashi, Baron-Cohen, & Wheelwright, 2004). This latter pattern suggests that these effects are not culture-specific and may instead reflect sexual dimorphism in the brain and differences in neural organization between scientists (a clear example of 'systemizersÕ) and non-scientists.…”

Cognitive inflexibility in Japanese adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorders

“…Diagnoses were based on unstructured or semi-structured behavioral observations of the patients and interviews with the patients and their parents or caregivers, as described previously [22] . In addition, ASD criteria on the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised [23] , the Pervasive Developmental Disorders Autism Society Japan Rating Scale (PARS) [24] , and the Autism-Spectrum Quotient Japanese version (AQ-J) [25] were used to assist in the evaluation of ASDspecific behaviors and symptoms. The PARS is a semistructured interview that is composed of 57 questions in eight domains of the characteristics of children with PDD.…”

Correlation between Morphologic Changes and Autism Spectrum Tendency in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

“…We adopted the Japanese version of the AQ scale 14 to measure the autistic tendencies of individuals. AQ is not a diagnostic measure, and no one had a clinical diagnosis of ASD.…”

“…Therefore, we examined the ASD tendency of patients with OCD from the point of view of neuroimaging. We employed the Japanese version of the AQ 14,15 as an index for ASD tendency and the regional GM volume by VBM as an index for the neural basis and then explored the relationship between the two. We wanted to understand how the tendency for ASD affects the neural basis of OCD, so we focused on previously reported 7 regions associated with OCD, i.e., the fronto-striatal circuits and amygdala, and hypothesized that the AQ score might be related to these regions.…”