Autism Symptom Dimensions Questionnaire (ASDQ)

Abstract

The Autism Symptom Dimensions Questionnaire (ASDQ; Frazier et al., 2023) was created to address the limitations of existing measures to assess the core autism symptoms in children and adolescents based on DSM-5 symptom criteria. It was developed to measure autism symptoms. Initial development of the ASDQ focused on a 33-item version. The ASDQ was expanded to include 39 items, with the goal of identifying specific social communication/interaction and restricted/repetitive behavior factors corresponding to DSM-5 criteria and recent factor analyses of other measures. Data were collected from parents, primarily biological mothers, with a dependent child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) aged 2 to 17 years. Factor analyses of the expanded instrument identified a general ASD factor and nine specific symptom factors. The test reliability (internal consistency and conditional reliability), validity (convergent, discriminant, predictive), and measurement invariance were reported. According to the authors, additional studies of convergent and discriminant validity with established criterion standard autism diagnostic instruments and informant report questionnaires are needed, as well as studies of test–retest reliability and sensitivity to change.

Keywords

Affiliation; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Basic Social Communication; DSM-5; Informant Report; Insistence on Sameness; Peer Relationships; Perspective Taking; Repetitive Motor Behavior; Restricted Interests; Sensory Interests; Sensory Sensitivity; Symptoms; Children and Adolescents

Authors

Frazier, Thomas W.; Dimitropoulos, Anastasia; Abbeduto, Leonard; Armstrong-Brine, Melissa; Kralovic, Shanna; Shih, Andy; Hardan, Antonio Y.; Youngstrom, Eric A.; Uljarević, Mirko; Quadrant Biosciences -As You Are Team.

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Purpose

The ASDQ was created to address the limitations of existing measures to assess the core autism symptoms in children and adolescents based on DSM-5 symptom criteria.

Validity

• Convergent/Discriminant Validity: ASDQ total scores showed strong correlations with Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ; Rutter, Bailey, & Lord, 2003) and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (Goodman, Meltzer, & Bailey, 1998) total scores and with reported ASD diagnosis. Moderate correlations (r = 0.39–0.50) were observed between the ASDQ and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire internalizing and externalizing, executive functioning, and adaptive functioning measures. The expected patterns for convergent and discriminant validity were observed.

• Predictive Validity: Exploratory analyses of predictive validity for ASD versus neurotypical and other developmental disability diagnoses indicated good accuracy for population and at-risk contexts.

Reliability

• Internal Consistency: Model reliability was high for the general ASD factor (ω = 0.97) and specific factors (ω ≥ 0.85). Internal consistency reliability was excellent for the total scale (α = 0.95) and at least adequate for all subscale scores (α ≥ 0.75).

• Conditional Reliability: Conditional reliability estimates indicated excellent reliability (≥ 0.90) for the total ASD scale from very low (θ [trait level] = −2.1) to extremely high (θ = +4.0) scores.

Factor Analysis

• Exploratory Structural Equation Model: Optimal fit was identified for the a priori hypothesized nine specific symptom factor plus a general bifactor ESEM solution. The CFA model (model 9b) fitted adequately in spite of not estimating minor item cross-loadings. Using this model, the general ASD factor explained 42% of the common variance.

• Measurement Invariance: The nine specific symptom factors hypothesized a priori model with a general bifactor CFA showed evidence of measurement invariance of factor loadings, thresholds, and residual variance (strict invariance) across sex, age, race, and ethnicity.

Instrument: The Autism Symptom Dimensions Questionnaire (ASDQ)

• Test Type: Original Inventory/Questionnaire.

• Format: All items are rated on a 5-point Likert frequency scale (1, never; 2, rarely; 3, sometimes; 4, often; 5, very often). The administration method is electronic. The measure is a 39-item questionnaire.

• Language Available: English.

• Population Group: Human; Male; Female.

• Age Group: Childhood (birth-12 yrs); Preschool Age (2-5 yrs); School Age (6-12 yrs); Adolescence (13-17 yrs).

• Population Details: Data was collected from parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the United States.

• Test Methodology: The instrument utilizes Test Validity, Construct Validity, Convergent Validity, Discriminant Validity, Predictive Validity, Test Reliability, Internal Consistency, Factor Analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Measurement Invariance, and Structural Equation Modeling.

• Domains (Factors): Social communication and interaction (Basic social communication; Affiliation; Perspective taking; Peer relationships); Restricted and repetitive behaviors (Repetitive motor behavior; Sensory interests; Insistence on sameness; Sensory sensitivities; Restricted interests).

Keywords

Autism Symptoms, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), DSM-5, Children, Adolescents, Parents, Questionnaire, Social communication/interaction, Restricted/repetitive behavior, Psychometric evaluation.

Authors

• Author OCRID Identifier:

  • Frazier, Thomas W.: orcid.org/0000-0002-6951-2667

• Affiliation:

  • Frazier, Thomas W.: John Carroll University Department of Psychology

  • Dimitropoulos, Anastasia: Case Western Reserve University Department of Psychological Sciences

  • Abbeduto, Leonard: University of California, Davis Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and MIND Institute

  • Armstrong-Brine, Melissa: MetroHealth Medical Center MetroHealth Autism Assessment Clinic

  • Kralovic, Shanna: University Hospitals Case Medical Center Division of Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics and Psychology

  • Shih, Andy: Autism Speaks

  • Hardan, Antonio Y.: Stanford University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

  • Youngstrom, Eric A.: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Department of Psychology and Neuroscience

  • Uljarević, Mirko: University of Melbourne, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry, and Health Sciences Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences

  • Institutional Author: Quadrant Biosciences -As You Are Team

• Email addresses:

  • Frazier, Thomas W.: [email protected]

• Correspondence Address:

  • Frazier, Thomas W.: John Carroll University, Department of Psychology, 1 John Carroll Boulevard, University Heights, Ohio, United States, 44118, [email protected]

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

• Permissions: May use for Research/Teaching.

• Commercial Use: No

• Fee: No

• Test Year: 2023

• Web Site: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, osf.io/pyq8r/

References

Frazier, T. W., Dimitropoulos, A., Abbeduto, L., Armstrong‐Brine, M., Kralovic, S., Shih, A., Hardan, A. Y., Youngstrom, E. A., Uljarević, M., & Quadrant Biosciences -As You Are Team. (2023). The Autism Symptom Dimensions Questionnaire: Development and psychometric evaluation of a new, open‐source measure of autism symptomatology. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 65(8), 1081–1092. doi.org/10.1111/dmcn.15497

Items of the Autism Symptom Dimensions Questionnaire (ASDQ)

The Autism Symptom Dimensions Questionnaire (ASDQ) is a 39-item measure. All items are rated on a 5-point Likert frequency scale (1, never; 2, rarely; 3, sometimes; 4, often; 5, very often). The specific items are not individually listed in the provided text but are categorized into domains: Social communication and interaction (Basic social communication; Affiliation; Perspective taking; Peer relationships) and Restricted and repetitive behaviors (Repetitive motor behavior; Sensory interests; Insistence on sameness; Sensory sensitivities; Restricted interests). The test items are available, as noted in the “Test Location: 2023-38391-001, Supplemental Material, Pages 3-4.”

Child’s Information

• Child’s Name: [Space for Name]

• Today’s Date: [Space for Date]

Instructions for Completion

Please indicate how frequently the person you are rating engages in each of the following behaviors. Please consider expectations for behavior given the person’s age when responding to each question.

If the question is not applicable to the person you are rating because they are too young, are not verbal, or you feel you do not have enough information to rate the behavior, select the last column (Not Applicable or Not Able to Rate).

Social Interaction and Communication

How often does this person…

1. Start interactions with others without prompting?

2. Prefer to be with family or friends rather than alone?

3. Try to be physically and emotionally-connected to family and friends?

4. Make expected eye contact? (not too brief, too intense, or looking past people)

5. Use gestures to communicate? (ex. wave, point, nod, shake head)

6. Communicate clearly so that other people know how they feel?

7. Offer comfort to others when they are upset or sick?

8. Share enjoyment about interests or activities with other people?

9. Engage in back and forth play with same-age peers? (ex. playing tag or cops-and-robbers by exchanging roles and allowing others to win OR in adolescents/adults playing turn-taking games or activities that require reciprocal give-and-take)

10. Respond appropriately when others approach them? (ex.微笑, nodding, saying something back)

11. Have a back and forth conversation about another person’s interests and activities, not just their own?

12. Read social cues? (ex. facial expressions, gestures, body language)

13. Understand that expected behavior varies by social situation? (ex. being quieter in the library than at a party)

14. Seem to understand what others are thinking or feeling?

15. Show that relationships are important to them?*

16. Seek out playful interactions, playmates, or friendships?

17. Engage with two or more close friends?*

Repetitive Behaviors and Restricted Interests

The following set of questions examines unexpected behaviors. How often does this person…

1. Flap or move their hands in an unusual way? (ex. claps or flaps their hands or flicks their fingers when they are excited)

2. Repetitively jump, rock their body, spin in circles, or do other whole-body motions?

3. Repeat sounds, words, or lines from videos?

4. Repetitively play with objects or repeat actions without a purpose? (ex. lining up toys, spinning wheels, opening and closing doors, turning lights on and off, etc.)

5. Insist on keeping a consistent daily schedule? (ex. gets upset with changes in the routine)

6. Have difficulty transitioning from one activity to another?

7. Want to follow strict rules, rituals, or sequences? (ex. taking the same route to a destination, touching things in a certain sequence, eating foods in a certain order, playing games a certain way, or performing activities until they are “just right”)

8. Have trouble changing their mind and being flexible?

9. Appear overly sensitive to loud noises?

10. Get upset in crowded or busy places?*

11. Dislike certain lights, sounds, textures, foods, or smells?

12. Prefer to engage with specific parts of objects rather than the whole object?* (ex. parts of a toy, small pieces of a game, or parts of electrical equipment)

13. Appear fascinated by sensory experiences? (ex. staring at lights, fans, running water, symmetrical patterns, street signs, falling or dangling objects, textures, smells, etc.)

14. Become preoccupied with visual patterns or sounds?* (ex. fascination with the way something looks or moves, excessive focus on certain sounds or videos)

15. Think or talk about the same topic over and over?

16. Seem overly fixated on one interest or activity?

17. Spend too much time on a game or subject that is not interesting to others?*

18. Seem too focused on an interest that is highly specific or narrow in scope?

19. Prefer to make lists, memorize facts, or learn about technical subjects?

20. Stand too close or show unexpected body language when interacting with others? (ex. a facial expression that doesn’t match what the person is saying or having their body turned away during conversation)

21. Take things too literally? (ex. not understanding when people are sarcastic, joking, or using figures of speech such as “it’s raining cats and dogs” OR “a leopard can’t change his spots”)

22. Speak with an unusual volume, tone, rhythm, or rate of speech?

Notes

• Note: *Indicates items added in Study 2.

• Copyright (C) 2021 Thomas W. Frazier, PhD

• CC BY 4.0 Thomas W. Frazier, PhD