Autism Spectrum Quotient

What it measures

A self-report screening tool measuring the degree to which adults with normal intelligence show traits associated with the autism spectrum. Not diagnostic, but widely used in research to screen participants and measure autistic traits as a continuous dimension in the general population.

Response format

Likert (agree/strongly agree vs. disagree/strongly disagree); scored 0 or 1; total 0–50

Representative items

• I prefer to do things with others rather than on my own. (R, Social Skills)
• I find social situations easy. (R, Communication)
• I find it hard to make new friends. (Social Skills)
• I notice patterns in things all the time. (Attention to Detail)
• I find myself drawn more strongly to people than to things. (R, Imagination)

Usage notes & scoring

(R)=scored in reverse direction. Score of >=26 suggests significant autistic traits; cut-off of >=32 used in some clinical settings. Freely available from Simon Baron-Cohen's Autism Research Centre. Widely used as an inclusion/exclusion criterion in social cognition research.

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Baron-Cohen, S., Wheelwright, S., Skinner, R., Martin, J., & Clubley, E. (2001). The Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ): Evidence from Asperger syndrome/high-functioning autism, males and females, scientists and mathematicians. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 31(1), 5–17.

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