Table 2
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Results from factor analysis of AQ

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Factor 1: Prosociality [internal reliability: 0.887 (Cronbach’s α)]
    44. I enjoy social occasions.0.782
    17. I enjoy social chit-chat.0.780
    11. I find social situations easy.0.779
    38. I am good at social chit-chat.0.762
    47. I enjoy meeting new people.0.760
    22. I find it hard to make new friends.0.645
    13. I would rather go to a library than a party.0.633
    1. I prefer to do things with others rather than on my own.0.614
    48. I am a good diplomat.0.610
    31. I know how to tell if someone listening to me is getting bored.0.439
    15. I find myself drawn more strongly to people than to things.0.428
    34. I enjoy doing things spontaneously.0.427
Factor 2: Communication [internal reliability: 0.769 (Cronbach’s α)]
    45. I find it difficult to work out people’s intentions0.760
    27. I find it easy to ‘read between the lines’ when someone is talking to me.0.599
    35. I am often the last to understand the point of a joke.0.586
    39. People often tell me that I keep going on and on about the same thing.0.578
    37. If there is an interruption, I can switch back to what I was doing very quickly.0.532
    20. When I’m reading a story, I find it difficult to work out the characters’ intentions.0.530
    33. When I talk on the phone, I’m not sure when it’s my turn to speak.0.512
    32. I find it easy to do more than one thing at once.0.510
    26. I frequently find that I don’t know how to keep a conversation going.0.425
    36. I find it easy to work out what someone is thinking or feeling just by looking at their face.0.412
    42. I find it difficult to imagine what it would be like to be someone else.0.410
Factor 3: Details/patterns [internal reliability: 0.756 (Cronbach’s α)]
    2. I prefer to do things the same way over and over again.0.655
    19. I am fascinated by numbers.0.645
    6. I usually notice car number plates or similar strings of information.0.638
    9. I am fascinated by dates.0.583
    12. I tend to notice details that others do not.0.564
    41. I like to collect information about categories of things.0.547
    43. I like to plan any activities I participate in carefully.0.477
    5. I often notice small sounds when others do not.0.460
    23. I notice patterns in things all the time.0.420
    16. I tend to have very strong interests, which I get upset about if I can’t pursue.0.408
Factor 4: Imagination [internal reliability: 0.541 (Cronbach’s α)]
    8. When I’m reading a story, I can easily imagine what the characters might look like.0.722
    14. I find making up stories easy.0.676
    3. If I try to imagine something, I find it very easy to create a picture in my mind.0.586
    21. I don’t particularly enjoy reading fiction.0.534
    7. Other people frequently tell me that what I’ve said is impolite, even though I think it is polite.−0.492
    50. I find it very easy to play games with children that involve pretending.0.404
ItemsLoading
Factor 1: Prosociality [internal reliability: 0.887 (Cronbach’s α)]
    44. I enjoy social occasions.0.782
    17. I enjoy social chit-chat.0.780
    11. I find social situations easy.0.779
    38. I am good at social chit-chat.0.762
    47. I enjoy meeting new people.0.760
    22. I find it hard to make new friends.0.645
    13. I would rather go to a library than a party.0.633
    1. I prefer to do things with others rather than on my own.0.614
    48. I am a good diplomat.0.610
    31. I know how to tell if someone listening to me is getting bored.0.439
    15. I find myself drawn more strongly to people than to things.0.428
    34. I enjoy doing things spontaneously.0.427
Factor 2: Communication [internal reliability: 0.769 (Cronbach’s α)]
    45. I find it difficult to work out people’s intentions0.760
    27. I find it easy to ‘read between the lines’ when someone is talking to me.0.599
    35. I am often the last to understand the point of a joke.0.586
    39. People often tell me that I keep going on and on about the same thing.0.578
    37. If there is an interruption, I can switch back to what I was doing very quickly.0.532
    20. When I’m reading a story, I find it difficult to work out the characters’ intentions.0.530
    33. When I talk on the phone, I’m not sure when it’s my turn to speak.0.512
    32. I find it easy to do more than one thing at once.0.510
    26. I frequently find that I don’t know how to keep a conversation going.0.425
    36. I find it easy to work out what someone is thinking or feeling just by looking at their face.0.412
    42. I find it difficult to imagine what it would be like to be someone else.0.410
Factor 3: Details/patterns [internal reliability: 0.756 (Cronbach’s α)]
    2. I prefer to do things the same way over and over again.0.655
    19. I am fascinated by numbers.0.645
    6. I usually notice car number plates or similar strings of information.0.638
    9. I am fascinated by dates.0.583
    12. I tend to notice details that others do not.0.564
    41. I like to collect information about categories of things.0.547
    43. I like to plan any activities I participate in carefully.0.477
    5. I often notice small sounds when others do not.0.460
    23. I notice patterns in things all the time.0.420
    16. I tend to have very strong interests, which I get upset about if I can’t pursue.0.408
Factor 4: Imagination [internal reliability: 0.541 (Cronbach’s α)]
    8. When I’m reading a story, I can easily imagine what the characters might look like.0.722
    14. I find making up stories easy.0.676
    3. If I try to imagine something, I find it very easy to create a picture in my mind.0.586
    21. I don’t particularly enjoy reading fiction.0.534
    7. Other people frequently tell me that what I’ve said is impolite, even though I think it is polite.−0.492
    50. I find it very easy to play games with children that involve pretending.0.404

In most items, the answer ‘yes’ is rated as a lower score, while ‘no’ has a higher score. However, questions 2, 4–7, 9, 12, 13, 16, 18–23, 26, 33, 35, 39, 41–43, 45 and 46 were reversed items, in which ‘yes’ was the higher-scoring answer.

Table 2
Open in new tab

Results from factor analysis of AQ

ItemsLoading
Factor 1: Prosociality [internal reliability: 0.887 (Cronbach’s α)]
    44. I enjoy social occasions.0.782
    17. I enjoy social chit-chat.0.780
    11. I find social situations easy.0.779
    38. I am good at social chit-chat.0.762
    47. I enjoy meeting new people.0.760
    22. I find it hard to make new friends.0.645
    13. I would rather go to a library than a party.0.633
    1. I prefer to do things with others rather than on my own.0.614
    48. I am a good diplomat.0.610
    31. I know how to tell if someone listening to me is getting bored.0.439
    15. I find myself drawn more strongly to people than to things.0.428
    34. I enjoy doing things spontaneously.0.427
Factor 2: Communication [internal reliability: 0.769 (Cronbach’s α)]
    45. I find it difficult to work out people’s intentions0.760
    27. I find it easy to ‘read between the lines’ when someone is talking to me.0.599
    35. I am often the last to understand the point of a joke.0.586
    39. People often tell me that I keep going on and on about the same thing.0.578
    37. If there is an interruption, I can switch back to what I was doing very quickly.0.532
    20. When I’m reading a story, I find it difficult to work out the characters’ intentions.0.530
    33. When I talk on the phone, I’m not sure when it’s my turn to speak.0.512
    32. I find it easy to do more than one thing at once.0.510
    26. I frequently find that I don’t know how to keep a conversation going.0.425
    36. I find it easy to work out what someone is thinking or feeling just by looking at their face.0.412
    42. I find it difficult to imagine what it would be like to be someone else.0.410
Factor 3: Details/patterns [internal reliability: 0.756 (Cronbach’s α)]
    2. I prefer to do things the same way over and over again.0.655
    19. I am fascinated by numbers.0.645
    6. I usually notice car number plates or similar strings of information.0.638
    9. I am fascinated by dates.0.583
    12. I tend to notice details that others do not.0.564
    41. I like to collect information about categories of things.0.547
    43. I like to plan any activities I participate in carefully.0.477
    5. I often notice small sounds when others do not.0.460
    23. I notice patterns in things all the time.0.420
    16. I tend to have very strong interests, which I get upset about if I can’t pursue.0.408
Factor 4: Imagination [internal reliability: 0.541 (Cronbach’s α)]
    8. When I’m reading a story, I can easily imagine what the characters might look like.0.722
    14. I find making up stories easy.0.676
    3. If I try to imagine something, I find it very easy to create a picture in my mind.0.586
    21. I don’t particularly enjoy reading fiction.0.534
    7. Other people frequently tell me that what I’ve said is impolite, even though I think it is polite.−0.492
    50. I find it very easy to play games with children that involve pretending.0.404
ItemsLoading
Factor 1: Prosociality [internal reliability: 0.887 (Cronbach’s α)]
    44. I enjoy social occasions.0.782
    17. I enjoy social chit-chat.0.780
    11. I find social situations easy.0.779
    38. I am good at social chit-chat.0.762
    47. I enjoy meeting new people.0.760
    22. I find it hard to make new friends.0.645
    13. I would rather go to a library than a party.0.633
    1. I prefer to do things with others rather than on my own.0.614
    48. I am a good diplomat.0.610
    31. I know how to tell if someone listening to me is getting bored.0.439
    15. I find myself drawn more strongly to people than to things.0.428
    34. I enjoy doing things spontaneously.0.427
Factor 2: Communication [internal reliability: 0.769 (Cronbach’s α)]
    45. I find it difficult to work out people’s intentions0.760
    27. I find it easy to ‘read between the lines’ when someone is talking to me.0.599
    35. I am often the last to understand the point of a joke.0.586
    39. People often tell me that I keep going on and on about the same thing.0.578
    37. If there is an interruption, I can switch back to what I was doing very quickly.0.532
    20. When I’m reading a story, I find it difficult to work out the characters’ intentions.0.530
    33. When I talk on the phone, I’m not sure when it’s my turn to speak.0.512
    32. I find it easy to do more than one thing at once.0.510
    26. I frequently find that I don’t know how to keep a conversation going.0.425
    36. I find it easy to work out what someone is thinking or feeling just by looking at their face.0.412
    42. I find it difficult to imagine what it would be like to be someone else.0.410
Factor 3: Details/patterns [internal reliability: 0.756 (Cronbach’s α)]
    2. I prefer to do things the same way over and over again.0.655
    19. I am fascinated by numbers.0.645
    6. I usually notice car number plates or similar strings of information.0.638
    9. I am fascinated by dates.0.583
    12. I tend to notice details that others do not.0.564
    41. I like to collect information about categories of things.0.547
    43. I like to plan any activities I participate in carefully.0.477
    5. I often notice small sounds when others do not.0.460
    23. I notice patterns in things all the time.0.420
    16. I tend to have very strong interests, which I get upset about if I can’t pursue.0.408
Factor 4: Imagination [internal reliability: 0.541 (Cronbach’s α)]
    8. When I’m reading a story, I can easily imagine what the characters might look like.0.722
    14. I find making up stories easy.0.676
    3. If I try to imagine something, I find it very easy to create a picture in my mind.0.586
    21. I don’t particularly enjoy reading fiction.0.534
    7. Other people frequently tell me that what I’ve said is impolite, even though I think it is polite.−0.492
    50. I find it very easy to play games with children that involve pretending.0.404

In most items, the answer ‘yes’ is rated as a lower score, while ‘no’ has a higher score. However, questions 2, 4–7, 9, 12, 13, 16, 18–23, 26, 33, 35, 39, 41–43, 45 and 46 were reversed items, in which ‘yes’ was the higher-scoring answer.

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