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The Adult Asperger Assessment (AAA): a diagnostic method
Simon Baron-Cohen1, Sally Wheelwright, Janine Robinson
1Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, UK.
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
|December 7, 2005
Summary
A new tool, the Adult Asperger Assessment (AAA), aids in diagnosing Asperger syndrome (AS) in adults. The AAA is more conservative than DSM-IV criteria, helping to avoid potential false positives in adult AS diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Background:
- Many adults suspect they have Asperger syndrome (AS), but existing diagnostic tools are designed for children.
- There is a need for a specialized instrument to accurately diagnose AS in the adult population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce the Adult Asperger Assessment (AAA), a novel electronic, data-based, and computer-scorable instrument for diagnosing AS in adults.
- To evaluate the AAA's diagnostic performance compared to existing criteria using clinic-based adult patients.
Main Methods:
- Development of the AAA, an electronic assessment tool.
- Linking the AAA with the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) and Empathy Quotient (EQ) screening instruments.
- Application of more stringent diagnostic criteria within the AAA than the DSM-IV to minimize false positives.
Main Results:
- The study included 42 adult clinic patients with suspected Asperger syndrome.
- Of the 42 patients, 37 (88%) met the DSM-IV criteria for AS.
- However, only 34 (80%) met the more stringent AAA criteria, indicating the AAA is more conservative.
Conclusions:
- The Adult Asperger Assessment (AAA) is a promising new instrument for the diagnosis of Asperger syndrome in adults.
- The AAA demonstrates greater conservatism than DSM-IV criteria, potentially improving diagnostic accuracy by reducing false positives.
- Further validation of the AAA is warranted for its clinical application in adult AS diagnosis.