The autism-spectrum quotient (AQ) children's version in Japan: a cross-cultural comparison.

Akio and team translated the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) into Japanese. They gave the 50-item parent form to the kids with ASD and 372 typical kids .

All children already had a clinical diagnosis of Asperger, HFA, or PDD-NOS. Parents marked each item as agree or disagree. Scores were compared with the original UK sample.

Japanese children with ASD scored almost twice as high as typical peers. The gap matched the UK data point for point.

Mean AQ for ASD group was 33; for controls it was 17. Every ASD subgroup—Asperger, HFA, PDD-NOS—scored above the UK cut-off of 26.

Sonié et al. (2013) later repeated the same pattern in French teens. Both studies show the AQ separates ASD from controls in new languages, giving a conceptual replication.

Koegel et al. (2014) warns us not to compare raw AQ scores across groups. They found the short form measures traits the same way, but autistic people answer on a different baseline. So the big gap Akio saw is real, yet exact numbers should not be used to say one child is "more autistic" than another.

Bora et al. (2017) extended the tool upward in age. They used the same AQ to spot the broader autism phenotype in parents, proving the scale works across the lifespan.

You can trust the Japanese (and French) AQ to screen for ASD in clinic or school. Use the 26-point cut-off, but pair it with other data. Remember L et al.’s caveat: the scale shows who stands out, not how far they are from "normal." Share the parent form today; it’s quick, free, and now proven in two cultures.