Set of scientific tests related to Autism Spectrum Disorders

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Here's a collection of 7 scientific tests related to Autism Spectrum Disorders (+ the Aspie Quiz, added on request).

Note: These are not diagnostic tests, they can only give you an indication! Also: if the BAPQ concludes you may not have BAP or ASD, and/or you score low on AQ, and/or low on difference (EQ - SQ-R): no Extreme Systemizer, and/or you score high on the EIQ (Emotional Intelligence Quotient) Test, and/or the HSP test concludes you are probably not a Highly Sensitive Person, and/or you score high on the 'Reading the mind in the eyes' test and/or high on the Cambridge Face Memory test, you might still have AS or HFA!

1. The Broad Autism Phenotype Questionnaire (BAPQ; Hurley et al., 2007).
The broad autism phenotype (BAP) is a set of personality and language characteristics that reflect the phenotypic expression of the genetic liability to autism, in non-autistic relatives of ASD individuals. These characteristics are milder but qualitatively similar to the defining features of autism. Sensitivity and specificity of the BAPQ for detecting the BAP were high (>70%). Parents of children with autism had significantly higher scores on all three subscales: aloof personality, rigid personality, and pragmatic language. Results of a later study in which researchers also had a group of ASD diagnosed individuals take the BAPQ indicated that the BAPQ is a valid and reliable test for measuring BAP traits.
The questionnaire gives your BAP and your scores on aloof personality, rigid personality and pragmatic language and gives you its conclusion whether or not you may be on the broader autistic phenotype or in fact autistic (ASD).
Take the Broad Autism Phenotype Questionnaire

2. The Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) test (Baron-Cohen et al., 2001).
In their scientific study, 80% of the adults with AS or HFA scored between 32 and 50 (average score: 35), versus 2% of controls (NTs). Test-retest and interrater reliability of the AQ was good. The AQ is thus a valuable instrument for rapidly quantifying where any given individual is situated on the continuum from autism to normality.
If you score 32 - 50, you might have AS or HFA.
Take the AQ test

3. The Empathizing Quotient and Systemizing Quotient - Revised (EQ SQ-R) tests (Wheelwright et al., 2006).
Note: The score you get on this SQ-R test is different from the original Baron-Cohen (2003) SQ score! The SQ has been revised (SQ-R) in 2006.
The Empathizing–Systemizing (E-S) theory (Baron-Cohen et al., 2003) seeks to classify people on the basis of their skills in the two factors of empathizing and systemizing. Empathizing is the drive to identify mental states and respond to these with an appropriate emotion. Systemizing is the drive to analyze systems or construct systems. The theory attempts to explain the social and communication symptoms in Asperger's Syndrome and High Functioning Autism as deficits and delays in empathizing combined with intact or superior systemizing.
This theory divides people into 5 groups:
Type E (Empathizer), whose empathizing is significantly better than their systemizing.
Type S (Systemizer), whose systemizing is significantly better than their empathizing.
Type B (Balanced), whose empathizing is as good as their systemizing.
Extreme Type E (Extreme Empathizer), whose empathizing is above average but whose systemizing is challenged.
Extreme Type S (Extreme Systemizer), whose systemizing is above average but whose empathizing is challenged.
The important factor to consider is not your absolute scores, but the difference between the two (EQ - SQ-R). This indicates whether you have more natural ability as an Empathizer or a Systemizer. If your scores are about the same for your EQ and SQ-R, then you have well balanced empathizing-systemizing capabilities.
If you are an Extreme Systemizer, you might have AS or HFA.
Take the EQ SQ-R tests

4. The EIQ (Emotional Intelligence Quotient) Test (Full Version; queendom.com).
This is the most comprehensive and most accurate online emotional intelligence test.
Take the EIQ test

5. The Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) test (Aron, 1996).
In her national bestseller, 'The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You', author Elaine Aron defines a distinct personality trait that affects as many as one out of every five people. According to Dr. Aron's definition, the Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) has a sensitive nervous system, is aware of subtleties in his/her surroundings, and is more easily overwhelmed when in a highly stimulating environment.
After numerous in-depth interviews, as well as surveys of over one thousand people, Dr. Aron's findings have been published in Counseling Today, Counseling and Human Development, and the prestigious Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Scientific research is still being done on this personality trait, also called Sensory-Processing Sensitivity (SPS). Findings by Minshew & Hobson (2008), from a study in which HFA / AS people and controls (NTs) administered Aron's HSP questionnaire, support the common occurrence of sensory symptoms in HFA / AS based on first person report.
Scoring:
If you answered more than fourteen of the questions as true of yourself, you are probably highly sensitive. Note: no psychological test is so accurate that an individual should base his or her life on it. Psychologists try to develop good questions, then decide on the cut off based on the average response.
If fewer questions are true of you, but extremely true, that might also justify calling you highly sensitive.
If you're a Highly Sensitive Person, you might have AS or HFA.
Take the HSP test

6. Understanding facial expression test: The 'Reading the mind in the eyes' test (Baron-Cohen et al.).
Average score is between 22 and 30.
If you have ASD, you might have difficulties understanding facial expression.
And did you know you can actually train understanding facial expression? See: Training mind reading.
Take the 'Reading the mind in the eyes' test

7. Face blindness / Prosopagnosia test: The Cambridge Face Memory test (faceblind.org).
Prosopagnosia, also called face blindness, is an impairment in the recognition of faces. Everyone sometimes has trouble recognizing faces. Prosopagnosia is much more severe than these everyday problems that everyone experiences. Prosopagnosics often have difficulty recognizing people that they have encountered many times. In extreme cases, prosopagnosics have trouble recognizing even those people that they spend the most time with such as their spouses and their children.
The average score on this test is 80% correct, you're face blind if you score 65% correct or lower.
Take the Cambridge Face Memory test



Plus, added on request:

The Aspie Quiz (Ekblad, rdos.net).
The Aspie Quiz, an online questionnaire, covers Aspie traits versus NT (neurotypical, non-autistic) traits. For more information, see: www.rdos.net/eng
The test gives you an Aspie score, a NT score and the conclusion whether you might be an Aspie or not.
Take the Aspie Quiz
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My scores:



1. BAPQ:

Rigid & Language

You scored 84 aloof, 105 rigid and 84 pragmatic
You score above the cutoff for both rigid personality and pragmatic communication differences. You probably don't really like changes, especially unexpected ones. You may have a daily routine that you seldom vary, dislike going to unfamiliar places or meeting new people, or have specific rules about how you do things which you refuse to change. In addition, you likely have trouble with communication, which is probably more evident in informal, social settings than in more formalized settings where the expectations are explicitly stated. However, you are apparently just as interested, if not more, in interacting with other people. You may be either on the broader autistic phenotype, or in fact autistic.

Your analysis:

You scored 84% on aloof, higher than 24% of your peers
You scored 105% on rigid, higher than 73% of your peers
You scored 84% on pragmatic, higher than 44% of your peers
You scored 9% on diagnosis, higher than 90% of your peers

2. AQ: 35 (average score for HFA and AS people)

3. EQ: 40, SQ-R: 104 => Extreme Systemizer

4. EIQ:

Snapshot Report:

Self-report Component
Subscale IQ score = 110
Subscale percentile = 77

Full Report:

Overall results
IQ score = 125
Percentile score = 96
You scored fairly well on this assessment, indicating that both your self-report and ability scores were quite good. You appear to usually be able to accurately recognize the emotions of others, manage your own feelings and know how best to approach others in an empathetic manner. Moreover, you accurately perceive your abilities in this area. This is key to improving your abilities even more, as knowing your strengths and your problem areas can help you know which areas you need to concentrate on.

Detailed Results:

Overall results: score 125
Self-report Component: score 110
Ability Component: score 129
Emotional Insight: score 129
Emotional Expression: score 82
Motivation: score 155 (= full score!)
Social Insight and Empathy: score 60
Emotional Integration: score 143
Emotional Insightfulness: score 143
Control and Maintenance of Emotions: score 114

5. HSP test: 21 => Highly Sensitive Person

6. 'Reading the mind in the eyes' test: 21, but I must add that there were some words among the answers that I did not know => difficulty reading the mind in the eyes

7. Cambridge Face Memory test: 79% correct



Aspie Quiz:

Aspie score: 83 of 200
Neurotypical score: 129 of 200
Conclusion: very likely neurotypical

Last edited by Scientist on 11 Dec 2009, 9:16 pm, edited 21 times in total.

Scientist you are straight up killing me with these tests

I took the emotional intelligence test and I consider that to be a relative strength of mine but I was in the 19th percentile

Rough.

I always score fairly high on the EQ and lower on the SQ-I think that's because as a child,reading moods was a survival mechanism and also I have executive dysfunction. I score high on HSP. I've always understood that people on the spectrum are not incapable of learning how to do some social things, they just don't learn automatically like other people. I am very good at seeing body language and facial expressions(I am much better at this if I'm observing and not directly involved), but I don't have a flipping clue as to how I'm supposed to respond and I'm known to misinterpret or over interpret. It will never come naturally. My difficulties are mostly in the social range-If I don't have specific things to talk about I want to avoid relatives even. I have difficulties in communication too. I either say too much or too little. I say the wrong thing, although I am aware that sometimes things are better left unsaid. I have never actively sought a friendship. I get anxious if I run out of small talk and bring up subjects out of the blue.

well said.


thanks Scientist, Queendom has a lot interesting tests, i had not seen that site before.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My scores:

AQ: 45

EQ: 20, SQ: 79 => Extreme Systemizer

EIQ:

Snapshot Report:

Self-report Component
Subscale IQ score = 95
Subscale percentile = 37

According to your self-report answers, your emotional intelligence is slightly below average. People who score like you do feel that their ability to understand and deal with their own emotions and those of others is just barely acceptable. Emotionally intelligent people have an easy time overcoming difficulties in their lives and they are generally able to control their moods. It’s easy for them to motivate themselves to overcome obstacles and reach their goals. In addition, they find social interactions to be quite easy and fulfilling, for several reasons. They are comfortable allowing themselves to get close with others, and feel comfortable being vulnerable enough to establish intimacy. They also report having an easy time offering support to others; likely due to an empathetic nature and a solid ability to offer advice. Perhaps by working on your problem areas, you can become more confident in dealing with your own emotions and those of others.

'Reading the mind in the eyes' test: 35

Cambridge Face Memory test: 72% correct

HSP test: 19 => highly sensitive person

The Aspie Quiz:
Your Aspie score: 164 of 200
Your neurotypical (non-autistic) score: 54 of 200
You are very likely an Aspie

Autistic/BAP:

You scored 106 aloof, 121 rigid and 99 pragmatic

You scored above the cutoff on all three scales. Clearly, you are either autistic or on the broader autistic phenotype. You probably are not very social, and when you do interact with others, you come off as strange or rude without meaning to. You probably also like things to be familiar and predictable and don't like changes, especially unexpected ones.


*edited for addition of detail

Last edited by tektek on 07 Dec 2009, 12:01 am, edited 3 times in total.

You're (and everybody else is) welcome!

@ tektek: It is confusing to underline text in a post; it looks like a link but it isn't

hehe, i was adding emphasis with the underline, but i see what you mean.

Why isn't the rdos test on there? It's so much better than the AQ.

Took a few more tests.

EQ: 20
SQ: 60
Face memory: 74%
HSP: 23

The face blindness test was hard, but I am proud to report that I scored 81% and am therefore not face blind. I'm even slightly above average!

The Aspie Quiz has been added on your request.

Reading the mind in the eyes
Your score: 19
A typical score is in the range 22-30. If you scored over 30,
you are very accurate at decoding a person's facial expressions
around their eyes. A score under 22 indicates you find this quite difficult.

Not sure what it means, I do have alot of trouble reading eyes since I have extremely poor eye contact

The AQ Test, EQ 14, SQ 97, Extreme Systemizing;
Emotional Intelligence Test Subscale IQ score = 83, Subscale percentile = 13;
Reading the mind in the eyes Your score: 22;
Out of 72 faces, you correctly identified 51. In other words, you got 71% correct. Average 80%;
The highly sesnitive person You have indicated that 21 of the items are true of you. (over 14 is highly sensitive)

According to these tests, my Mother was a Vulcan, my Father was a Klingon and my nanny was a robot

The Broad Autism Phenotype Questionnaire has also been added.

I tried to take the eye-reading test, but quickly desisted when I found that I was simply not presented with sufficient data to reach any conclusion. Most of the eye pictures said nothing whatsoever to me - I couldn't even follow the advice to "select the one that feels right", because I got no feeling whatsoever from them.

Thank you.

I feel Aspie-quiz is not described properly. The term "Aspie" used in Aspie-quiz is not the same thing as ASC, and this is clearly stated as well. Aspie is more like the whole neurodiversity-concept. Thus, Aspie-quiz measures the "super-wide" BAP, not ASCs. To get an indication of a possible ASC, it is recommended to study sub-scores on Aspie obsession, NT social and NT communication. OTOH, the total score does work as an ASC-indicator to the same degree (or even higher degree) as does the total score on the AQ-test. I also think the Neanderthal theory is not related to Aspie-quiz at all, and thus should not be described in this thread.