The Autism Quotient -AQ

The Autism Quotient (AQ) is a self-report questionnaire designed to measure the presence and severity of autistic traits in individuals without a clinical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It is meant for individuals 16 years and older. It is commonly used with both neurotypical individuals and those suspected as autistic. Many research studies in the autism space use AQ as a screening tool during recruitment. 

Limitations:

• The AQ is not a diagnostic tool, but a screening measure. It is designed to indicate/identify presence and severity of autistic traits but is not a clinical diagnosis. An clinical autism diagnosis should be done by a clinician using comprehensive assessment methods
• The AQ does not provide information about other co-occurring conditions or intellectual abilities that may impact the presentation of autism traits.
• The AQ is a self-report questionnaire, which means there will be biases or limitations in self-awareness, which could affect the accuracy of responses. 
• Questions are set to NT norms and expectations. 
• Cultural and contextual factors may influence the interpretation of the AQ

Scoring & Interpretation
The AQ consists of 50 items that assess different aspects related to autism, about the individual's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The items cover various domains, including social interaction, communication, attention to detail, attention switching, and imagination. The individual is asked to indicate the extent to which they agree or disagree with each statement based on their own experiences on a Likert scale, typically ranging from "Definitely agree" to "Definitely disagree"

The scoring may vary depending on the specific version or adaptation of the AQ being used. Higher scores indicate a higher number of autistic traits or characteristics.

History: The AQ was developed by Simon Baron-Cohen and his colleagues at the Autism Research Centre at the University of Cambridge in 2001.