Validation of the abridged version of the autism-spectrum quotient (AQ-28) in the Arabic-speaking adult general population

Abstract

Background: The field of autism research in adults has not yet emerged in Arab countries, which is in part due to the lack of valid, reliable autism measures. The objectives of this study were to assess the psychometric properties of the abridged version of the autism-spectrum quotient (AQ-28) in a sample of non-clinical Arabic-speaking adults. Methods: Adults aged over 18 years from the general population of Lebanon (N=1076, mean age of 27.90±11.81 years, 63.8% females) were recruited online, using the snowball sampling technique. Results: In terms of factorial validity, the original five-factor model of the AQ-28 was replicate with an acceptable internal consistency. Measurement invariance was established across sex. Mean sum scores observed in male participants were significantly higher than those displayed by females. Autistic traits as measured by the Arabic AQ-28 correlated negatively with secure attachment and positively with loneliness, depression and anxiety. Conclusion: This study makes a major contribution to the international literature on autism by validating, for the first time, the AQ-28 into Arabic. It is our hope that this scale will help to galvanize efforts to better understand the nature and etiology of the broader autism phenotype in the general population across cultures.