ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to investigate the reliability and validity of the Korean version of Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ). METHODS: 20 participants with high-functioning autism (HFA) and 99 normal participants were recruited. All participants were completed the AQ and Empathy Quotient (EQ), and parents of the HFA group completed the parent-report AQ. For testing the reliability, we examined Cronbach’s alpha, performed item analysis, and compared self versus parent report score of HFA participants. For testing the validity, we compared the difference of the score of AQ among HFA and control group using independent t-tests, and performed correlation analysis between AQ and EQ. The receiver operation characteristic curve analysis was performed to determine a cut-off. RESULTS: The Korean version of the AQ exhibited adequate internal consistency, and in most items, the HFA group scored higher in comparison to the control group. It was demonstrated that AQ has good discriminant validity through the confirmation of the significant difference in the AQ score between two groups. The concurrent validity was established through the significant correlation between AQ and EQ in the HFA group. The best estimate cut-off score of AQ for screening was 23. CONCLUSION: The Korean version of the AQ was determined as a reliable and valid instrument to assess HFA in Korean population.
Subject(s)
Humans , Autism Spectrum Disorder , Autistic Disorder , Empathy , Mass Screening , Parents , Reproducibility of ResultsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Oxytocin (OT) has been implicated to play an important role in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) etiology. We aimed to find out the differences in plasma OT levels between children with autism and healthy children, the associations of OT levels with particular autism symptoms and the associations of particular parental autistic traits with their ASD children OT levels. METHODS: We included 19 boys with autism and 44 healthy age-matched boys. OT levels were analyzed by ELISA method. Children with autism were scored by Childhood Autism Rating Scale and Autism Diagnostic Interview (ADI), adjusted research version. Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), Systemizing Quotient (SQ) and Empathizing Quotient were completed by parents of children with autism. RESULTS: Children with autism had significantly lower plasma OT levels than controls. OT levels positively correlated with ADI Reciprocal Interaction and Communication scores. AQ and SQ of fathers positively correlated with children plasma OT level. CONCLUSION: Our results support the hypothesis of OT deficiency in autism. The "paradoxical" associations of OT levels and social skills in children with autism indicate disturbances at various levels of OT system. We first reported associations of OT levels in children with autism and behavioral measures in fathers indicating that OT abnormalities stay between parental autistic traits and autism symptoms in their children.
Subject(s)
Child , Humans , Autistic Disorder , Child Development Disorders, Pervasive , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Fathers , Oxytocin , Parents , PlasmaABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the correlations between obsessive-compulsive symptoms and autism-spectrum quotient and explore if systemizing is the mediator between them. Methods With Padua Inventory (PZ) ,AQ and Systemizing Quotient (SQ), 1901 college students were assessed with stratified random sampling survey. Results Compared with the femal students, score of systemizing in male students had a significant increase ( (26. 773 ± 9.225 )vs (22.017 ± 7 ± 934), P ＜0.01 ). AQ total score was significantly positive correlated with PI total score( r=0. 336, P＜0.01 ),and correlation was also found among SQ,AQ and PI in different degrees. the mediating effect of systemizing was significant. The regression equation was AQ = 18. 942 +0. 064PI -0. 022SQ (P ＜ 0.01 ). Conclusion There are positive correlation between obsessive-compulsive symptoms and AQ in college students, and systemizing is the mediator between above symptoms.