ArticleBJPsych open2023
Gender bias in autism screening: measurement invariance of different model frameworks of the Autism Spectrum Quotient.
Article in BJPsych open, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
19 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Autistic Traits and Camouflaging: A Meta-Analysis.Autism : the international journal of research and practice · 2026Pooled it
- Sex Differences in Adult Autism Screening: A Comparison of Current Self-Report and Retrospective Parent-Report Measures.Journal of autism and developmental disorders · 2026Article
- Are items from current self-report measures adequate for assessing autistic traits in women? Insights from a modified Delphi study with autistic women and professional experts.Molecular autism · 2026Article
- The Signposting Questionnaire for Autism-2 (SQ-A-2): using input from autistic adults to inform questionnaire development.Molecular autism · 2026Article
- Finding the forest in the trees: Using machine learning and online cognitive and perceptual measures to predict adult autism diagnosis.Translational psychiatry · 2026Article
- Drawing the inner world: exploring autistic perception through virtual reality art-making.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- Article
- Diagnostic Experiences and Barriers to Diagnosis Among Autistic Adults in the United States: Associations with Diagnostic Timing and Gender.Journal of autism and developmental disorders · 2025Article
- Mental Health as a Key Mediator for Outcomes in Postsecondary Education, Employment, and Everyday Living in Autistic Adults.Autism in adulthood · 2025Article
- Diagnostic challenges of autism spectrum disorder in women without intellectual or language impairments: a narrative review.Journal of medicine and life · 2025Review
- Validation of the abridged version of the autism-spectrum quotient (AQ-28) in the Arabic-speaking adult general population.Journal of public health research · 2025Article
- "What does 'often' even mean?" Revising and validating the Comprehensive Autistic Trait Inventory in partnership with autistic people.Molecular autism · 2025Article
- Sex differences in the prevalence of common comorbidities in autism: a narrative review.Ewha medical journal · 2025Review
- Investigating the role of three screening measures to support clinical decision-making in adult autism assessments.PloS one · 2025Article
- Female gender and autism: underdiagnosis and misdiagnosis - clinical and scientific urgency.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Article
- Protocol for a systematic review evaluating psychometric properties and gender-related measurement (non)invariance of self-report assessment tools for autism in adults.Systematic reviews · 2024Article
- Mixed experiences with online learning among neurodiverse youth: Evidence from video recordings of a longitudinal study.PLOS mental health · 2024Article
- Racial, Ethnic, and Geographic Diversity in Population Neuroscience.Current topics in behavioral neurosciences · 2024Review
- Measuring the Autistic Women's Experience (AWE).International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe Autism Spectrum Quotient is a popular autism screening tool recommended for identifying potential cases of autism. However, many women with autism demonstrate a different presentation of traits to those currently captured by screening measures and assessment methods, such as the Autism Spectrum Quotient.
aimsDifferent models of the Autism Spectrum Quotient have been proposed in the literature, utilising different items from the original 50-item scale. Within good-fitting models, the current study aimed to explore whether these items assess autistic traits similarly across men and women.
methodSeventeen Autism Spectrum Quotient models were identified from the literature. Using the responses of a large sample of adults from the UK general population (5246 women, 1830 men), confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the fit of each model. Measurement invariance with respect to gender, adjusting for age, was explored in the 11 model frameworks that were found to have satisfactory fit to our data.
resultsIt emerged that only two items were gender invariant (non-biased), whereas for the remaining items, the probability of endorsement was influenced by gender. In particular, women had a higher probability of endorsing items relating to social skills and communication.
conclusionsIf the items of the Autism Spectrum Quotient indeed reflect autism-related traits, those items should be rephrased to ensure they do not present a gender-related bias. This is vital for ensuring more timely diagnoses and support for all people with autism.
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