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. 2011 May;41(5):589-96.
doi: 10.1007/s10803-010-1073-0.

The construction and validation of an abridged version of the autism-spectrum quotient (AQ-Short)

Rosa A Hoekstra  1 , Anna A E Vinkhuyzen, Sally Wheelwright, Meike Bartels, Dorret I Boomsma, Simon Baron-Cohen, Danielle Posthuma, Sophie van der Sluis
Affiliations

The construction and validation of an abridged version of the autism-spectrum quotient (AQ-Short)

Rosa A Hoekstra et al. J Autism Dev Disord. 2011 May.

Abstract

This study reports on the development and validation of an abridged version of the 50-item Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ), a self-report measure of autistic traits. We aimed to reduce the number of items whilst retaining high validity and a meaningful factor structure. The item reduction procedure was performed on data from 1,263 Dutch students and general population adults. The resulting 28-item AQ-Short was subsequently validated in 3 independent samples, both clinical and controls, from the Netherlands and the UK. The AQ-Short comprises two higher-order factors assessing 'social behavioral difficulties' and 'a fascination for numbers/patterns'. The clear factor structure of the AQ-Short and its high sensitivity and specificity make the AQ-Short a useful alternative to the full 50-item version.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Factor structure of the AQ-Short, including factor correlation and factor loadings as estimated in the Dutch controls reference sample
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Distribution of mean AQ-Short scores in all samples
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