Spanish Validation of the Autism Spectrum Quotient for Children (AQ-Child-SV).
Latino families co-wrote the first culturally tuned Spanish AQ-Child and showed how to keep them at the table.
01Research in Context
What this study did
A research team worked with Latino autistic adults and parents to make a Spanish version of the Autism Spectrum Quotient for Children.
They used a community-based approach. Families helped pick words, check meanings, and test the items.
The goal was a quiz that feels natural in Spanish and catches autism traits in kids.
What they found
The final tool is called the AQ-Child-SV. It keeps the same ideas as the English form but uses Latino-friendly language.
The team also wrote a clear roadmap any researcher can copy to keep Latino families involved from start to finish.
How this fits with other research
Lugo-Marín et al. (2019) did the same job for adults. Their Spanish AQ-Short came first and showed the process works.
Hedley et al. (2010) also adapted a screener, the ADEC-SP, for Mexican toddlers. Like the new kid quiz, it kept high accuracy after cultural tweaks.
Tafolla et al. (2026) reviewed dozens of studies and found one simple rule: if you want Latinx families in your sample, say so out loud and track language use. The 2025 AQ-Child team followed that exact advice.
Why it matters
You now have a free, field-tested Spanish child screener that Latino families helped create. Pair it with the adult AQ-Short to track traits across ages in the same household. Copy the engagement roadmap when you need consent, surveys, or intervention feedback from Spanish-speaking parents.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The limited representation of Latino autistic individuals and their families in research studies limits our understanding of how autism presents and is experienced across diverse communities, emphasizing a need for more inclusive research methodologies and participant recruitment strategies. Our project aimed to explore how participatory research methods can be effectively implemented to develop culturally valid measurement tools and research protocols that accurately capture the experiences of bilingual/bicultural Latino autistic individuals and their families. This study used a phenomenological framework design guided by community-based Participatory research and the social model of disability principles. Two trained researchers conducted three focus groups with Latino parents of autistic children (n = 25) and two with Latino autistic adults (n = 8), and data was analyzed utilizing thematic analysis. We used a consultative model in which a community advisory board provided input throughout the project. Effective research engagement in border Latino communities is contingent on three key factors: fostering cultural and linguistic alignment, building and maintaining institutional trust, and thoughtfully incorporating community symbols. Together, these elements highlight a roadmap for researchers to build sustainable partnerships rooted in respect, equity, and cultural competence. Culturally informed research procedures, led by a culturally sensitive team of Latino researchers and Latino autism community members working as equal partners, can enhance engagement and ensure relevant, valid research studies and priorities. Using a CBPR framework and an intersectionality lens advances equitable representation in autism research and promotes culturally informed responses to the needs of diverse autistic communities.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2025 · doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2015.03.007