Testing the Latent Structure of the Autism Spectrum Quotient in a Sub-clinical Sample of University Students Using Factor Mixture Modelling

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig Leth-Steensen ◽  
Elena Gallitto ◽  
Kojo Mintah ◽  
Shelley Elizabeth Parlow
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Clinical Sample ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Latent Structure ◽  
Autism Spectrum Quotient ◽  
Mixture Modelling

scholarly journals Longitudinal association between autistic traits and affinity for hikikomori in Japanese university students

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuuki Shimono ◽  
Akira Hasegawa ◽  
Kohei Tsuchihara ◽  
Keisuke Tanaka ◽  
Yuko Matsuda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
University Students ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Autism Spectrum Quotient ◽  
Japanese University ◽  
Longitudinal Association ◽  
Academic Failures

AbstractThe affinity for hikikomori represents the desire to be withdrawn, as well as to entertain an empathetic attitude towards withdrawn individuals. It is composed of two subdimensions, the maladaptive desire for hikikomori, and empathy for others with hikikomori. This longitudinal study examined whether autistic traits predicted the affinity for hikikomori. At the baseline assessment, undergraduate and graduate students in Japan (N = 272) completed the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ), the Affinity for Hikikomori Scale in University Students, and measures assessing academic failures and interpersonal conflicts. They also completed all measures excluding the AQ eight weeks later. Structural equation modeling indicated that difficulties in social interaction aspects of autistic traits were positively associated with academic failures at Time 2 even after controlling for academic failures at Time 1. In addition, difficulties in social interaction were positively related to the desire for hikikomori at Time 2 indirectly via academic failures at Time 2 after controlling for the desire for hikikomori at Time 1. Difficulties in social interaction were also directly associated with the increased desire for hikikomori at Time 2. These findings suggest that autistic traits, and especially difficulties in social interaction, are predictors of the maladaptive aspect of the affinity for hikikomori.

scholarly journals Psychometric concerns with the 10-item Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ10) as a measure of trait autism in the general population

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily C. Taylor ◽  
Lucy A. Livingston ◽  
Rachel A. Clutterbuck ◽  
Punit Shah
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Screening Tool ◽  
Clinical Sample ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Autism Spectrum Quotient ◽  
Internal Reliability ◽  
Diagnostic Screening

AbstractThe 10-item Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ10) is a self-report questionnaire used in clinical and research settings as a diagnostic screening tool for autism in adults. The AQ10 is also increasingly being used to quantify trait autism along a unitary dimension and correlated against performance on other psychological/medical tasks. However, its psychometric properties have yet to be examined when used in this way. By analysing AQ10 data from a large non-clinical sample of adults (n = 6,595), we found that the AQ10 does not have a unifactorial factor structure, and instead appears to have several factors. The AQ10 also had poor internal reliability. Taken together, whilst the AQ10 has important clinical utility in screening for diagnosable autism, it may not be a psychometrically robust measure when administered in non-clinical samples from the general population. Therefore, we caution against its use as a measure of trait autism in future research.

scholarly journals Kessler Psychological Distress (K6) Questionnaire Scores Can Predict Autistic Traits and the Current and Prospective Suicidal Ideation in Medical University Students: A Prospective Study

SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 215824402199459
Author(s):  
Yumi Naito ◽  
Noriyuki Enomoto ◽  
Yosuke Kameno ◽  
Hidenori Yamasue ◽  
Takafumi Suda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Suicidal Ideation ◽  
University Students ◽  
Developmental Disorders ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Mental States ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Lifestyle Changes ◽  
Autism Spectrum Quotient ◽  
Short Questionnaire

Mental distress is highly prevalent in university students, and autistic traits can hinder academic education. The substantial lifestyle changes experienced by new university students can induce mood and anxiety dysfunctions and subsequent suicide-related behaviors. The aims of this study were to evaluate the detectability of suicidal ideation using the Kessler Psychological Distress (K6) questionnaire, a short and easily administered measure, and to elucidate the relationship between K6 scores and developmental disorders following university admission in medical students. The mental states of 341 new students at University School of Medicine were prospectively evaluated using the short questionnaire including the K6 at admission and 6 months later. Participants were simultaneously assessed on the five core features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), four features of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and presence of suicidal ideation on this short questionnaire. K6 scores were significantly higher 6 months after admission than at admission ( p = .028). Students with suicidal ideation had significantly higher K6 scores than those without ( p < .001), and K6 scores at admission differentiated students with suicidal ideation both at admission (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.947) and 6 months after admission (AUC = 0.913). K6 scores were positively correlated with scores of ASD- and ADHD-related items (ρ = .451 and .440, respectively) and with autism-spectrum quotient scores ( p = .041, ρ = .501). In conclusion, the K6 questionnaire may be useful in efficiently detecting university students with suicidal ideation or autistic traits.

scholarly journals Self-Reported Autistic Traits Using the AQ: A Comparison between Individuals with ASD, Psychosis, and Non-Clinical Controls

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 291 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Fusar-Poli ◽  
Alessia Ciancio ◽  
Alberto Gabbiadini ◽  
Valeria Meo ◽  
Federica Patania ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Sample ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Autism Spectrum Quotient ◽  
Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Schizophrenia Spectrum ◽  
Discriminant Ability ◽  
Core Symptoms ◽  
Adults With Asd ◽  
Attention To Detail

The term “autism” was originally coined by Eugen Bleuler to describe one of the core symptoms of schizophrenia. Even if autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) are now considered two distinct conditions, they share some clinical features. The present study aimed to investigate self-reported autistic traits in individuals with ASD, SSD, and non-clinical controls (NCC), using the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ), a 50-item questionnaire. The study was conducted in the Psychiatry Unit of Policlinico “G. Rodolico”, Catania, Italy. The AQ was administered to 35 adults with ASD, 64 with SSD, and 198 NCC. Overall, our data showed that the ASD sample scored significantly higher than NCC. However, no significant differences were detected between individuals with ASD and SSD. Notably, the three groups scored similarly in the subscale “attention to detail”. AQ showed good accuracy in differentiating ASD from NCC (AUC = 0.84), while discriminant ability was poor in the clinical sample (AUC = 0.63). Finally, AQ did not correlate with clinician-rated ADOS-2 scores in the ASD sample. Our study confirms that symptoms are partially overlapping in adults with ASD and psychosis. Moreover, they raise concerns regarding the usefulness of AQ as a screening tool in clinical populations.

scholarly journals Psychometric Properties of Persian Version of Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQP-28): Evidence from Iranian Non-clinical Sample

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad Ashouri ◽  
Ali Asgharzade ◽  
Ali Ebrahimi ◽  
Morteza Ghojazadeh ◽  
Abolfazl Akbarzadeh
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Social Behavior ◽  
Psychometric Properties ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Clinical Sample ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum Quotient ◽  
Autistic Spectrum ◽  
Persian Version

Abstract Background: Recent evidence suggests that the autism spectrum is widespread among the general population. research has dimensionally moved towards the development of measurement tools with the introduction of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).Methods: The short-form of the autistic spectrum quotient questionnaire (AQ-28) developed by Hoekstra et al is a valuable and friendly alternative to the full 50-item version of autism spectrum disorder (AQ-50) consider as a widely used tool for screening and epidemiological studies of autistic traits. The present study aimed at investigating the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the short-form of the autistic spectrum quotient questionnaire (AQP-28) in the Iranian population. A total of 560 individuals participated in this study and they were asked to fill out The Persian version of the autistic spectrum quotient questionnaire (AQ-28). Results: confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported two higher-order factors models including ‘social behavior’ and numbers/patterns. Furthermore internal consistency of AQ-28-Persian indicate acceptable for social behavioral (α= .78), questionable for numbers/patterns (α= .65) and total (α= .62). Conclusions: in summary, the AQ-28-Persian is a useful tool to assess social behavior parts of the autistic spectrum quotient.

The Autism-Spectrum Quotient in university students: Pattern of changes in its scores and associated factors

2013 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noriko Kitazoe ◽  
Shimpei Inoue ◽  
Yuji Izumoto ◽  
Naoko Kumagai ◽  
Yasumasa Iwasaki
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Associated Factors ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Autism Spectrum Quotient
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