The Autism-Spectrum Quotient in Siblings of People With Autism.
Emily Ruzich, Carrie Allison, Paula Smith and 3 others
PMID 27333365WHAT IT FOUND
Siblings of autistic people scored higher on autistic traits than controls, but this depended on sex and who completed the test.
Adult males self-reporting showed elevated traits, while parent-reported scores for male children and adolescents did not differ from controls. Female siblings showed elevated traits across all groups.
Key findings
01For female siblings, autistic trait scores were significantly higher than controls and lower than individuals with ASC across all AQ versions.
02For male siblings, self-reported adult scores were significantly higher than controls, but parent-reported child and adolescent scores did not differ from controls.
03Parent-report versions of the AQ produced more polarized scores than self-report versions, with lower scores for controls and higher scores for individuals with ASC.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
Diagnostic information and sibling status were self- or parent-reported and not verified by researchers. Extended family history was not verified. The study could not account for the interaction between the sex of the sibling and the sex of the individual with ASC. Birth order was not analyzed due to lack of statistical power. The AQ is designed for individuals with average IQ or above, limiting generalizability to those with intellectual disability or language impairment.
Declared interests
None reported.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that parent-reported AQ scores for male siblings of autistic children accurately reflect their autistic trait levels. The study found no significant difference between male siblings and controls on parent-reported measures, whereas self-reports in adult males did show elevated traits. This suggests parent reports may miss subclinical traits in male siblings.