Comparison of the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 among Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Williams Syndrome in Japan.
SRS-2 cleanly splits autism from Williams syndrome in Japan, yet culture can nudge the social awareness score.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Hirai et al. (2024) gave the SRS-2 to people with autism and to people with Williams syndrome in Japan.
They wanted to see if the scores could tell the two groups apart.
The team also checked whether the pattern matched earlier UK data.
What they found
The autism group scored higher on social motivation and communication problems than the Williams group.
Most results copied the UK study, but the social awareness subscale did not.
That subscale may be shaped by culture.
How this fits with other research
Bölte et al. (2008) first showed the SRS works outside the US by testing it in Germany.
Masahiro extends that work by showing the SRS-2 also separates diagnoses in Japan.
Yamane (2021) likewise adapted a Western tool for Japanese autism families, proving these translations hold up.
Stinton et al. (2010) remind us that Williams syndrome carries its own mental-health risks, so using the SRS-2 alongside anxiety screens gives a fuller picture.
Why it matters
You can trust the SRS-2 to flag social deficits in Japanese clients, but read the social awareness score with caution.
If the number looks off, ask parents for real-life examples before you write goals.
Pair the SRS-2 with an anxiety measure for Williams syndrome clients to catch co-occurring worries.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
This study examined the similarities/differences between the social phenotypes of Williams syndrome (WS) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As cultural norms may affect symptom evaluation, this study administered the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 to Japanese individuals with WS (n = 78, 4.4-44.0 years) and ASD (n = 75, 4.7-55.4 years). The scores for Social Motivation and Social Communication were significantly more severe in the ASD than WS group. Overall, the similarities and differences between the social phenotypes of the syndromes were consistent with the findings of a recent study conducted in the UK, except for the social awareness subscale score. This highlights the importance of cross-cultural investigations of WS and ASD.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2024 · doi:10.1111/j.1467-7687.2007.00626.x