Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of the Spanish Version of the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ)

The Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) is a brief, self-administered tool used to measure traits linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although widely used across languages and cultures, it has not yet been translated into Spanish or administered to Latin-American populations. Our aim was to make a cross-cultural translation of the AQ into Spanish, describe its psychometric properties, and determine a cut-off point for the Mexican population. We administered the AQ to typically developing (TD) people and those with ASD diagnosis. We analyzed the factor structure, internal consistency, and three cut-off points: for the general population, men, and women. Group and sex differences were examined. Our AQ version demonstrated acceptable to good internal consistency, and a six-factor structure: Social Interests, Theory of Mind, Social Skills, Attention to Detail, Imagination, and Planning. The ASD group scored higher than the TD group on the total score and five subscales. Interactions between group and sex showed that sex differences appeared only within the ASD groups. Cut-off points showed good sensitivity, specificity, and discriminative properties for the Mexican population. Our findings align with reports from other countries, highlighting the relevant traits in a Mexican sample, advancing the understanding of cultural factors in self-reported autistic traits.