The Autism-Spectrum Quotient-Hebrew version: Psychometric properties of a full and a short form, adapted for DSM-5.

Researchers created Hebrew versions of a questionnaire that helps identify adults who might be autistic and should get a formal assessment. They tested it with 93 autistic adults and 147 people without autism. Both the full questionnaire and a shorter 10-question version were very accurate (86-88%) at identifying who might be autistic. This tool could help adults who think they might be autistic decide whether to seek a professional diagnosis.

This study validated Hebrew versions of the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (ASQ), a self-report screening tool for autistic traits in adults. Researchers tested both full and short versions with 93 autistic adults and 147 controls, ensuring items aligned with DSM-5 criteria. Ten autism specialists classified items according to current diagnostic domains. The full Hebrew ASQ achieved 86% accuracy in correctly identifying autistic versus neurotypical adults, while the short version (10 items, 5 per DSM-5 domain) achieved 88% accuracy.

Both versions demonstrated good reliability and sensitivity for identifying adults who may benefit from formal autism assessment, addressing the need for culturally adapted screening tools as more adults seek late diagnosis.

Both Hebrew ASQ versions can reliably identify adults who should be referred for autism assessment. The short version offers practical advantages while maintaining high accuracy. These tools may help address late diagnosis needs in Hebrew-speaking populations, though cultural adaptation for other populations would require separate validation studies.

Study limited to Hebrew-speaking population. Sample size details not fully reported. Cross-sectional design cannot establish temporal relationships. Validation against clinical diagnosis rather than gold-standard assessment tools. Generalizability to other cultural contexts unclear.

Despite the attempt to diagnose autism at an early age, there are still many individuals who would only get an autism diagnosis in adulthood. For these adults, a questionnaire that could assist in highlighting their need to seek diagnostic assessment is needed. The Autism-Spectrum Quotient is a self-report scale used to assess autistic traits. It was tested cross-culturally, and a short version was recommended to help identify adults who should be referred for an autism assessment.

However, its relevance for the up-to-date diagnostic criteria, according to the(5th ed.), has not been tested. This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Hebrew version of the Autism-Spectrum Quotient and to create a short version of the Hebrew Autism-Spectrum Quotient, based on items which map on to(5th ed.) criteria. Ninety-three autistic adults (24 females), aged 18-51, clinically diagnosed according to(5th ed.), and 147 comparable controls (34 females) filled out the Hebrew version of the Autism-Spectrum Quotient. Ten clinicians who specialize in diagnosing autism in adults classified the Autism-Spectrum Quotient's items according to(5th ed.) criteria.

The short version of the Hebrew Autism-Spectrum Quotient comprised items that best differentiated between adults with and without autism, five items representing each of the(5th ed.) diagnostic domains. The overall probability for participants to be correctly classified as autistic or neurotypical was 86% for the Hebrew version of the Autism-Spectrum Quotient and 88% for the short version of the Hebrew Autism-Spectrum Quotient. We conclude that both versions are reliable and sensitive instruments that can help referring adults for autism assessment.