Discriminative and Criterion Validity of the Autism Spectrum Identity Scale (ASIS).
The 22-item ASIS cleanly measures autism identity without mixing stigma or self-esteem.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Researchers tested a new 22-item Autism Spectrum Identity Scale (ASIS).
They gave the survey to 312 autistic adults in the United States.
The team checked if ASIS scores stayed separate from stigma and self-esteem scores.
What they found
ASIS factors did not mix with stigma or self-esteem measures.
Higher autism pride linked to better quality of life.
The scale worked for both men and women.
How this fits with other research
Chetcuti et al. (2026) also found their BIS/BAS scales held steady in 709 autistic youth.
Sappok et al. (2013) showed ADOS can over-diagnose autism in adults with ID, while ASIS avoids that risk by asking about identity, not behavior.
Rojahn et al. (2012) warned that SRS misses many kids; ASIS fills a different gap by measuring how adults feel about being autistic.
Why it matters
You now have a quick tool to learn how clients see their autism. Use ASIS at intake to spot shame or pride. Pair it with ADOS when you need diagnosis, not identity. Celebrate high pride scores and plan self-advocacy goals when scores are low.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Individuals on the autism spectrum face stigma that can influence identity development. Previous research on the 22-item Autism Spectrum Identity Scale (ASIS) reported a four-factor structure with strong split-sample cross-validation and good internal consistency. This study reports the discriminative and criterion validity of the ASIS with other measures. Adults (n = 1139) who have, or identify with, an autism spectrum diagnosis took a nationally distributed online survey that also included demographic questions and measures for stigma, self-esteem, and quality of life (QoL). All four ASIS factors discriminated from measures of stigma and self-esteem. The ASIS also showed good criterion validity with the factors of Positive Difference and Changeability demonstrating widespread relationships with subjective quality of life in the expected directions.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2017 · doi:10.1007/s10803-017-3221-2