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The Adult Asperger Assessment (AAA): A Diagnostic Method

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At the present time there are a large number of adults who have suspected Asperger syndrome (AS). In this paper we describe a new instrument, the Adult Asperger Assessment (AAA), developed in our clinic for adults with AS. The need for a new instrument relevant to the diagnosis of AS in adulthood arises because existing instruments are designed for use with children. Properties of the AAA include (1) being electronic, data-based, and computer-scorable; (2) linking with two screening instruments [the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) and the Empathy Quotient (EQ)]; and (3) employing a more stringent set of diagnostic criteria than DSM-IV, in order to avoid false positives. The AAA is described, and its use with a series of n = 42 clinic-patients is reported. Thirty-seven of these (88%) met DSM-IV criteria, but only 34 of these (80%) met AAA criteria. The AAA is therefore more conservative than DSM-IV.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the Three Guineas Trust for supporting the CLASS clinic (Cambridge Lifespan Asperger Syndrome Service) and to the Medical Research Council during the development of this work. We also acknowledge the support of Lifespan Healthcare NHS Trust, and its replacement, the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust, for their support of the clinic.

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Appendices

Appendix A: Adult Asperger Assessment (AAA)

 

PATIENT DETAILS

Name:

Max Asperger

Sex:

Male

Date of birth:

10/15/1970

Appointment:

6/1/2001

Age (in years):

30.6

 

SCREENING INSTRUMENT SCORES

Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) score:

50

Max = 50, and 80% of AS patients score 32 or more

 

Reference: Baron-Cohen, S., Wheelwright, S., et al. (2001) The Autism-Spectrum Quotient: a new instrument for screening AS and HFA in adults of normal intelligence. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 31, 5–17

 

Empathy Quotient (EQ) score:

0

Max = 80, and 80% of AS patients score 30 or less

 

Reference: Baron-Cohen, S. & Wheelwright, S. (2004) The Empathy Quotient (EQ). An investigation of adults with AS or HFA, and normal sex differences. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 34, 163–175

 

 

AAA DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA

In order to receive a diagnosis of AS, patients must have 3 or more symptoms in each of Sections A–C, at least 1 symptom from Section D and meet all 5 prerequisites in Sections E–I.

Section

Domain

No. of symptoms required

No. of symptoms observed

A (max = 5)

Social

3

5

B (max = 5)

Obsessions

3

5

C (max = 5)

Communication

3

5

D (max = 3)

Imagination

1

3

Total (max = 18)

 

10

18

E–I (max = 5)

Prerequisites

5

5

 

DIAGNOSIS

Asperger Syndrome

 

A. Qualitative impairment in social interaction

YES

NO

1. Marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviours such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction.

1

 

2. Failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level.

YES

NO

 

1

 

prefers to do things on own rather than with others (AQ1)

  

finds self drawn more strongly to things than people (AQ15)

  

finds it hard to make new friends (AQ22)

  

does not enjoy social situations (AQ44)

  

finds friendships and relationships difficult so tends not to bother with them (EQ12)

  

3. No interest in pleasing others; no interest in communicating his/her experience to others, including: lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests or achievements with other people; lack of showing, bringing or pointing out objects of interest.

YES

NO

 

1

 

4. Lack of social or emotional reciprocity (e.g. not knowing how to comfort someone; and/or lack of empathy).

YES

NO

 

1

 

is not concerned if late when meeting a friend (EQ11)

  

finds it hard to see why some things upset people so much (EQ21)

  

does not spot when someone in a group is feeling awkward or uncomfortable (EQ26)

  

is not upset by seeing people cry (EQ32)

  

makes decisions without being influenced by people's feelings (EQ39)

  

friends don't talk to them about problems as not considered understanding (EQ43)

  

can't sense when intruding (EQ44)

  

often described as insensitive, but can't see why (EQ48)

  

if sees stranger in a group, thinks it's up to them to join in (EQ49)

  

stays emotionally detached when watching films (EQ50)

  

difficulty with tuning in to how others feel (EQ52)

  

does not get emotionally involved with friends' problems (EQ59)

  

5. Difficulties in understanding social situations and other people's thoughts and feelings.

YES

NO

 

1

 

can't keep track of conversations in social group (AQ10)

  

finds social situations difficult (AQ11)

  

finds it difficult to work out characters' intentions when reading a story (AQ20)

  

finds it difficult to read between the lines when talking with others (AQ27)

  

often the last to understand the point of a joke (AQ35)

  

finds it difficult to work out what someone is thinking/feeling from facial expression (AQ36)

  

finds it difficult to work out people's intentions (AQ45)

  

finds it hard to know what to do in social situations (EQ8)

  

can't pick up if someone says one thing but means another (EQ19)

  

finds it difficult to put self in someone else's shoes (EQ22)

  

not good at predicting how someone will feel (EQ25)

  

finds social situations confusing (EQ35)

  

difficulty with detecting whether someone is masking their true emotion (EQ55)

  

consciously works out the rules of social situations (EQ57)

  

not good at predicting what someone else will do (EQ58)

  

 

B. Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behaviour, interests, and activities

YES

NO

1. Encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus.

1

 

gets so strongly absorbed in one thing that loses sight of other things (AQ4)

  

tends to have very strong interests which gets upset about if can't pursue (AQ16)

  

collects information about categories of things e.g. types of car (AQ41)

  

2. Apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals.

YES

NO

 

1

 

prefers to do things the same way over and over again (AQ2)

  

gets upset if daily routine is disturbed (AQ25)

  

3. Stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g. hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements).

YES

NO

 

1

 

4. Persistent preoccupation with parts of objects/systems.

YES

NO

 

1

 

often notices small sounds that others do not (AQ5)

  

usually notices car number plates or similar strings of information (AQ6)

  

fascinated by dates (AQ9)

  

tends to notice details that others do not (AQ12)

  

fascinated by numbers (AQ19)

  

notices patterns in things all the time (AQ23)

  

usually concentrates on the small details rather than the whole picture (AQ28)

  

usually notices small changes in a situation or a person's appearance (AQ30)

  

5. Tendency to think of issues as being black and white (e.g. in politics or morality), rather than considering multiple perspectives in a flexible way

YES

NO

 

1

 

often told gone too far in driving point home in discussion (EQ10)

  

can't appreciate another's viewpoint if disagrees with it (EQ60)

  

 

C. Qualitative impairments in verbal or non-verbal communication

YES

NO

1. Tendency to turn any conversation back on to self or own topic of interest.

1

 

often told keeps going on and on about the same thing (AQ39)

  

in conversation, focuses more on own thoughts rather than listener's (EQ15)

  

tends to concentrate on talking about own experiences (EQ37)

  

2. Marked impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others. Cannot see the point of superficial social contact, niceties, or passing time with others, unless there is a clear discussion point/debate or activity.

YES

NO

 

1

 

does not enjoy social chit-chat (AQ17)

  

frequently finds doesn't know how to keep a conversation going (AQ26)

  

when talking on the phone, is not sure when it is their turn to speak (AQ33)

  

is not good at social chit-chat (AQ38)

  

can't tell if someone else wants to enter a conversation (EQ1)

  

can't work out what other person might want to talk about (EQ54)

  

3. Pedantic style of speaking, or inclusion of too much detail.

YES

NO

 

1

 

4. Inability to recognise when the listener is interested or bored. Even if the person has been told not to talk about their particular obsessive topic for too long, this difficulty may be evident if other topics arise.

YES

NO

 

1

 

doesn't know if listener is getting bored (AQ31)

  

can't easily tell if someone is interested or bored with what they are saying (EQ41)

  

5. Frequent tendancy to say things without considering the emotional impact on the listener (faux pas).

YES

NO

 

1

 

often told has been impolite even though they think they have been polite (AQ7)

  

not a good diplomat (AQ48)

  

often finds it difficult to judge if something is rude or polite (EQ14)

  

doesn't think it's their problem if they offend someone (EQ27)

  

if asked opinion about new haircut, would answer truthfully even if didn't like it (EQ28)

  

can't always see why someone should have felt offended by a remark (EQ29)

  

is very blunt without being intentionally rude (EQ34)

  

sometimes told has gone too far with teasing (EQ46)

  

 

D. Impairments in imagination

  

1. Lack of varied, spontaneous make believe play appropriate to developmental level.

YES

NO

 

 1

 

as a child, did not enjoy playing games which involved pretending with other children (AQ40)

  

finds it difficult to imagine what it would be like to be someone else (AQ42)

  

finds it difficult now to play games with children that involve pretending (AQ50)

  

*2. Inability to tell, write or generate spontaneous, unscripted or unplagiarised fiction

YES

NO

 

1

 

finds making up stories difficult (AQ14)

  

*3. Either lack of interest in fiction (written, or drama) appropriate to developmental level or interest in fiction is restricted to its possible basis in fact (e.g. science fiction, history, technical aspects of film).

YES

NO

 

1

 

doesn't particularly enjoy reading fiction (AQ21)

  

would rather go to a museum than the theatre (AQ24)

  

 

E. Prerequisites

YES

NO

1. Delays or abnormal functioning in each of A–D occur across development.

1

 

2. The disturbance causes clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

YES

NO

 

1

 

3. There is no clinically significant general delay in language (e.g. single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3 years).

YES

NO

 

1

 

4. There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self-help skills, adaptive behaviour (other than in social interaction or skills linked to social awareness e.g. personal hygiene).

YES

NO

 

1

 

5. Criteria are not met for another specific Pervasive Developmental Disorder or Schizophrenia.

YES

NO

 

1

 

Appendix B: The AQ

 

1.

I prefer to do things with others rather than on my own.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

2.

I prefer to do things the same way over and over again.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

3.

If I try to imagine something, I find it very easy to create a picture in my mind.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

4.

I frequently get so strongly absorbed in one thing that I lose sight of other things.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

5.

I often notice small sounds when others do not.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

6.

I usually notice car number plates or similar strings of information.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

7.

Other people frequently tell me that what I’ve said is impolite, even though I think it is polite.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

8.

When I’m reading a story, I can easily imagine what the characters might look like.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

9.

I am fascinated by dates.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

10.

In a social group, I can easily keep track of several different people’s conversations.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

11.

I find social situations easy.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

12.

I tend to notice details that others do not.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

13.

I would rather go to a library than a party.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

14.

I find making up stories easy.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

15.

I find myself drawn more strongly to people than to things.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

16.

I tend to have very strong interests which I get upset about if I can’t pursue.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

17.

I enjoy social chit-chat.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

18.

When I talk, it isn’t always easy for others to get a word in edgeways.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

19.

I am fascinated by numbers.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

20.

When I’m reading a story, I find it difficult to work out the characters’ intentions.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

21.

I don’t particularly enjoy reading fiction.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

22.

I find it hard to make new friends.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

23.

I notice patterns in things all the time.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

24.

I would rather go to the theatre than a museum.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

25.

It does not upset me if my daily routine is disturbed.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

26.

I frequently find that I don’t know how to keep a conversation going.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

27.

I find it easy to “read between the lines” when someone is talking to me.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

28.

I usually concentrate more on the whole picture, rather than the small details.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

29.

I am not very good at remembering phone numbers.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

30.

I don’t usually notice small changes in a situation, or a person’s appearance.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

31.

I know how to tell if someone listening to me is getting bored.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

32.

I find it easy to do more than one thing at once.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

33.

When I talk on the phone, I’m not sure when its my turn to speak.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

34.

I enjoy doing things spontaneously

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

35.

I am often the last to understand the point of a joke.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

36.

I find it easy to work out what someone is thinking or feeling just by looking at their face.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

37.

If there is an interruption, I can switch back to what I was doing very quickly

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

38.

I am good at social chit-chat.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

39.

People often tell me that I keep going on and on about the same thing.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

40.

When I was young, I used to enjoy playing games involving pretending with other children.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

41.

I like to collect information about categories of things (e.g. types of car, types of bird, types of train, types of plant, etc.).

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

42.

I find it difficult to imagine what it would be like to be someone else.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

43.

I like to plan any activities I participate in carefully.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

44.

I enjoy social occasions.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

45.

I find it difficult to work out people’s intentions.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

46.

New situations make me anxious.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

47.

I enjoy meeting new people.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

48.

I am a good diplomat.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

49.

I am not very good at remembering people’s date of birth.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

50.

I find it very easy to play games with children that involve pretending.

definitely agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

definitely disagree

  1. © MRC-SBC/SJW Feb 1998.

Appendix C: The EQ

 

1.

I can easily tell if someone else wants to enter a conversation.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

2.

I prefer animals to humans.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

3.

I try to keep up with the current trends and fashions.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

4.

I find it difficult to explain to others things that I understand easily, when they don’t understand it first time.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

5.

I dream most nights.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

6.

I really enjoy caring for other people.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

7.

I try to solve my own problems rather than discussing them with others.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

8.

I find it hard to know what to do in a social situation.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

9.

I am at my best first thing in the morning.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

10.

People often tell me that I went too far in driving my point home in a discussion.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

11.

It doesn’t bother me too much if I am late meeting a friend.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

12.

Friendships and relationships are just too difficult, so I tend not to bother with them.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

13.

I would never break a law, no matter how minor.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

14.

I often find it difficult to judge if something is rude or polite.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

15.

In a conversation, I tend to focus on my own thoughts rather than on what my listener might be thinking.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

16.

I prefer practical jokes to verbal humour.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

17.

I live life for today rather than the future.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

18.

When I was a child, I enjoyed cutting up worms to see what would happen.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

19.

I can pick up quickly if someone says one thing but means another.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

20.

I tend to have very strong opinions about morality.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

21.

It is hard for me to see why some things upset people so much.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

22.

I find it easy to put myself in somebody else’s shoes.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

23.

I think that good manners are the most important thing a parent can teach their child.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

24.

I like to do things on the spur of the moment.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

25.

I am good at predicting how someone will feel.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

26.

I am quick to spot when someone in a group is feeling awkward or uncomfortable.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

27.

If I say something that someone else is offended by, I think that that’s their problem, not mine.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

28.

If anyone asked me if I liked their haircut, I would reply truthfully, even if I didn’t like it.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

29.

I can’t always see why someone should have felt offended by a remark.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

30.

People often tell me that I am very unpredictable.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

31.

I enjoy being the centre of attention at any social gathering.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

32.

Seeing people cry doesn’t really upset me.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

33.

I enjoy having discussions about politics.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

34.

I am very blunt, which some people take to be rudeness, even though this is unintentional.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

35.

I don’t tend to find social situations confusing.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

36.

Other people tell me I am good at understanding how they are feeling and what they are thinking.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

37.

When I talk to people, I tend to talk about their experiences rather than my own.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

38.

It upsets me to see an animal in pain.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

39.

I am able to make decisions without being influenced by people’s feelings.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

40.

I can’t relax until I have done everything I had planned to do that day.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

41.

I can easily tell if someone else is interested or bored with what I am saying.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

42.

I get upset if I see people suffering on news programmes.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

43.

Friends usually talk to me about their problems as they say that I am very understanding.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

44.

I can sense if I am intruding, even if the other person doesn’t tell me.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

45.

I often start new hobbies but quickly become bored with them and move on to something else.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

46.

People sometimes tell me that I have gone too far with teasing.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

47.

I would be too nervous to go on a big rollercoaster.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

48.

Other people often say that I am insensitive, though I don’t always see why.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

49.

If I see a stranger in a group, I think that it is up to them to make an effort to join in.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

50.

I usually stay emotionally detached when watching a film.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

51.

I like to be very organised in day to day life and often make lists of the chores I have to do.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

52.

I can tune into how someone else feels rapidly and intuitively.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

53.

I don’t like to take risks.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

54.

I can easily work out what another person might want to talk about.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

55.

I can tell if someone is masking their true emotion.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

56.

Before making a decision I always weigh up the pros and cons.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

57.

I don’t consciously work out the rules of social situations.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

58.

I am good at predicting what someone will do.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

59.

I tend to get emotionally involved with a friend’s problems.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

60.

I can usually appreciate the other person’s viewpoint, even if I don’t agree with it.

strongly agree

slightly agree

slightly disagree

strongly disagree

  1. © MRC-SBC/SJW Feb 1998.

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Baron-Cohen, S., Wheelwright, S., Robinson, J. et al. The Adult Asperger Assessment (AAA): A Diagnostic Method. J Autism Dev Disord 35, 807–819 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-005-0026-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-005-0026-5

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