Table 1.
Demographic data and selected findings from neuropsychological assessments in high-functioning adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typically developing adults (TD).
| ASD (N = 28) | TD (N = 29) | ASD male (N = 17) | ASD female (N = 11) | TD male (N = 19) | TD female (N = 10) | ANOVA F | ANOVA P | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 26.6 ± 8.3 | 27.4 ± 7.4 | 22.6 ± 4.1 | 32.7 ± 9.7 | 26.7 ± 7.2 | 28.6 ± 7.9 | 4.69 | 0.006** |
| FSIQ | 102.1 ± 16.5 | 112.1 ± 13.1 | 102.3 ± 16.8 | 101.7 ± 16.8 | 114.3 ± 12.6 | 108.5 ± 13.8 | 2.39 | 0.080 |
| VIQ | 104.4 ± 18.2 | 110.4 ± 14.1 | 99.1 ± 17.0 | 102.3 ± 21.1 | 112.9 ± 13.4 | 106.4 ± 14.9 | 1.00 | 0.402 |
| NVIQ | 99.8 ± 14.5 | 113.4 ± 11.9 | 105.7 ± 16.9 | 101.1 ± 13.1 | 115.4 ± 10.8 | 110.0 ± 13.3 | 4.54 | 0.007** |
| AQ–Total | 31.8 ± 6.5 | 17.3 ± 8.3 | 29.4 ± 5.3 | 35.5 ± 6.7 | 19.3 ± 9.1 | 13.5 ± 4.7 | 23.40 | <0.0001** |
| AQ–Social skills | 6.8 ± 2.5 | 3.0 ± 2.5 | 6.4 ± 2.5 | 7.3 ± 2.5 | 3.4 ± 2.8 | 2.3 ± 2.0 | 11.16 | <0.0001** |
| AQ–Attention switching | 7.4 ± 1.8 | 4.7 ± 2.3 | 6.6 ± 1.5 | 8.5 ± 1.6 | 5.1 ± 2.3 | 3.9 ± 2.0 | 12.42 | <0.0001** |
| AQ–Attention to details | 6.5 ± 2.4 | 5.1 ± 2.4 | 6.1 ± 2.3 | 7.1 ± 2.6 | 5.4 ± 2.4 | 4.7 ± 2.5 | 1.99 | 0.127 |
| AQ–Communication | 6.6 ± 2.2 | 2.5 ± 2.2 | 6.2 ± 1.9 | 7.2 ± 2.5 | 2.8 ± 2.6 | 1.8 ± 1.3 | 17.65 | <0.0001** |
| AQ–Imagination | 4.6 ± 2.0 | 2.1 ± 1.8 | 4.1 ± 2.1 | 5.4 ± 1.7 | 2.7 ± 1.9 | 0.8 ± 0.9 | 13.52 | <0.0001** |
| RAADS-R–Total | 126.6 ± 36.5 | 50.6 ± 39.5 | 116.5 ± 37.0 | 142.3 ± 31.1 | 59.6 ± 45.0 | 33.5 ± 17.2 | 22.79 | <0.0001** |
| RAADS-R–Social relatedness | 61.1 ± 20.2 | 25.3 ± 21.5 | 56.1 ± 21.8 | 68.8 ± 15.4 | 30.6 ± 24.6 | 15.2 ± 7.4 | 17.32 | <0.0001** |
| RAADS-R–Circumscribed interest | 24.7 ± 9.6 | 9.6 ± 6.8 | 22.6 ± 8.1 | 28.0 ± 11.1 | 11.1 ± 7.2 | 6.6 ± 5.1 | 18.61 | <0.0001** |
| RAADS-R–Language | 10.4 ± 4.2 | 4.8 ± 4.2 | 9.9 ± 4.4 | 11.1 ± 4.1 | 5.4 ± 4.7 | 3.7 ± 2.9 | 8.77 | <0.0001** |
| RAADS-R–Sensory motor | 30.2 ± 12.1 | 10.6 ± 10.0 | 27.8 ± 12.1 | 34.1 ± 11.5 | 12.5 ± 11.4 | 7.0 ± 5.5 | 16.80 | <0.0001** |
| SRS-2–Total | 69.3 ± 8.6 | 50.8 ± 9.3 | 68.5 ± 8.2 | 70.5 ± 9.4 | 53.3 ± 10.5 | 46.0 ± 3.2 | 22.95 | <0.0001** |
| SRS-2–Social awareness | 63.4 ± 9.0 | 49.3 ± 10.2 | 63.9 ± 8.9 | 62.5 ± 9.5 | 51.1 ± 11.4 | 46.0 ± 6.6 | 10.75 | <0.0001** |
| SRS-2–Social cognition | 64.4 ± 10.0 | 49.9 ± 8.7 | 61.0 ± 8.9 | 69.0 ± 10.2 | 52.1 ± 9.3 | 45.8 ± 5.9 | 15.22 | <0.0001** |
| SRS-2–Social communication | 67.4 ± 8.8 | 48.9 ± 9.4 | 67.4 ± 9.1 | 67.6 ± 8.8 | 51.7 ± 10.5 | 43.4 ± 2.8 | 22.85 | <0.0001** |
| SRS-2–Social motivation | 67.4 ± 10.5 | 54.4 ± 10.0 | 66.5 ± 10.8 | 68.9 ± 10.4 | 56.1 ± 10.9 | 51.3 ± 7.8 | 8.18 | 0.00014** |
| SRS-2–Repetitive behaviors | 73.1 ± 11.2 | 51.8 ± 8.7 | 72.5 ± 10.7 | 74.9 ± 12.4 | 54.2 ± 9.4 | 47.3 ± 4.7 | 23.18 | <0.0001** |
| SRS-2–Social information processing | 67.6 ± 8.4 | 50.8 ± 9.3 | 66.6 ± 8.0 | 69.3 ± 9.0 | 53.1 ± 10.7 | 45.8 ± 3.0 | 20.07 | <0.0001** |
| RBS-R–Total | 40.3 ± 35.7 | N/A | 51.1 ± 35.7 | 10.2 ± 7.6 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| RBS-R–Stereotyped behavior | 5.4 ± 5.2 | N/A | 7.1 ± 4.9 | 0.4 ± 0.5 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| RBS-R–Self-injurious behavior | 6.1 ± 6.3 | N/A | 8.0 ± 6.3 | 0.6 ± 0.9 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| RBS-R–Compulsive behavior | 7.6 ± 6.9 | N/A | 9.3 ± 7.1 | 3.0 ± 3.3 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| RBS-R–Ritualistic behavior | 5.7 ± 4.6 | N/A | 7.0 ± 4.7 | 2.0 ± 1.2 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| RBS-R–Sameness | 11.0 ± 9.9 | N/A | 13.9 ± 9.9 | 2.6 ± 3.0 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| RBS-R–Restricted behavior | 4.6 ± 4.1 | N/A | 5.7 ± 4.2 | 1.6 ± 1.1 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| BEQ–Negative emotionality | 23.7 ± 8.4 | 21.6 ± 6.0 | 23.7 ± 6.0 | 23.6 ± 11.6 | 19.7 ± 5.1 | 25.1 ± 6.2 | 1.66 | 0.188 |
| BEQ–Positive emotionality | 19.5 ± 5.8 | 21.5 ± 5.0 | 17.9 ± 5.8 | 21.9 ± 4.9 | 20.7 ± 4.9 | 22.9 ± 4.9 | 2.34 | 0.084 |
| BEQ–Impulse strength | 29.6 ± 9.3 | 26.1 ± 7.7 | 25.7 ± 9.2 | 35.6 ± 5.4 | 23.7 ± 8.0 | 30.7 ± 4.5 | 6.88 | 0.0005** |
| BEQ–Emotional expressivity | 72.8 ± 19.2 | 69.1 ± 15.6 | 67.3 ± 18.1 | 81.2 ± 18.6 | 64.1 ± 15.0 | 78.7 ± 12.3 | 3.62 | 0.019* |
| SPAI–Social phobia | 110.8 ± 37.8 | 69.3 ± 40.1 | 106.7 ± 35.9 | 115.9 ± 41.3 | 73.0 ± 43.5 | 63.1 ± 35.2 | 3.78 | 0.017* |
| SPAI–Agoraphobia | 27.6 ± 18.0 | 16.3 ± 15.0 | 27.6 ± 20.6 | 27.6 ± 14.9 | 16.5 ± 14.9 | 16.0 ± 16.1 | 1.82 | 0.157 |
| SPAI–Difference | 83.2 ± 34.4 | 53.0 ± 32.4 | 79.1 ± 30.3 | 88.3 ± 40.0 | 56.5 ± 37.5 | 47.1 ± 22.1 | 3.54 | 0.022* |
Note: Values reported are mean ± SD. One-way ANOVA was performed between the four Diagnosis + Gender groups.
*P < 0.05, **P < 0.01.
FSIQ Full-scale IQ, VIQ Verbal IQ, NVIQ Non-verbal IQ, AQ Autism-Spectrum Quotient, RAADS-R Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale-Revised, SRS-2 Social Responsiveness Scale, 2nd Edition, RBS-R Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised, BEQ Berkeley Expressivity Questionnaire, SPAI Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory.