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Thursday, May 15, 2008
Champagne Terrace/Bordeaux (Novotel London West)
9:30 AM
Background: Relatives of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often have mild forms of autistic–like characteristic, or what is called, the broader phenotype. Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) is a self-administered instrument for measuring the degree to which an adult has the traits associated with the ASD.
Objectives: In this study, AQ-J (AQ Japanese version) was administered in parents of individuals with ASD to see whether they show features of the broader phenotype.
Methods: Participants were 72 parents of individuals with ASD (father=34, mean age=45.0, mother=38, mean age=42.3) and age-matched 89 controls (male=46, mean age=43.1, female=43, mean age=42.9). All participants gave written informed consent. The mean AQ score and five subscale scores (social skills, communication, imagination, attention to detail and attention switching) were calculated.
Results: The mean AQ score was not significantly different between the parents and the controls. On the communication subscale score, the fathers showed significantly higher scores than the control males, but the mothers did not show a significant group difference. Other subscales were not significantly different between the parents and the controls. In 34 couples of parent group, the spouse correlation for the mean AQ score was not significant.
Conclusions: These results suggest that the broader phenotype appears more in father of individuals with ASD than mothers of individuals with ASD.
Objectives: In this study, AQ-J (AQ Japanese version) was administered in parents of individuals with ASD to see whether they show features of the broader phenotype.
Methods: Participants were 72 parents of individuals with ASD (father=34, mean age=45.0, mother=38, mean age=42.3) and age-matched 89 controls (male=46, mean age=43.1, female=43, mean age=42.9). All participants gave written informed consent. The mean AQ score and five subscale scores (social skills, communication, imagination, attention to detail and attention switching) were calculated.
Results: The mean AQ score was not significantly different between the parents and the controls. On the communication subscale score, the fathers showed significantly higher scores than the control males, but the mothers did not show a significant group difference. Other subscales were not significantly different between the parents and the controls. In 34 couples of parent group, the spouse correlation for the mean AQ score was not significant.
Conclusions: These results suggest that the broader phenotype appears more in father of individuals with ASD than mothers of individuals with ASD.