神経発達症傾向の高い日本人学生を対象としたAQ(自閉症スペクトラム指数)日本語版の因子構造

Factor Structure of the Japanese Version of the AQ(Autism-Spectrum Quotient)for Japanese Students with High Neurodevelopmental Tendencies

抄録　AQ(Autism Spectrum Quotient)の5因子構造は，理論的に設定されたものであるため，複数の研究グループがAQの因子分析を行い，さまざまな因子や因子構造が抽出されている。本研究では，神経発達症に特化した相談機関の利用学生を対象としたAQ(n＝477)を用いて，因子構造を確認することを目的とした。その結果，5因子構造の適合度は十分でなく，探索的因子分析において，26項目3因子構造が抽出された。その経過において，時代にそぐわない，他の項目とは全く逆の傾向を示す項目などが削除されたことから，新たな自閉症スペクトラムの自己記入式検査の作成の必要性が示された。

　The Autism-Spectrum Quotient(AQ), used to screen for autism spectrum disorders(ASD), was created by assuming five factors based on the theoretical structure of ASD. Several researchers have conducted factor analyses of the AQ, extracting various factors and factor structures. The objective of the current study was to conduct a factor analysis of the AQ, using data from 477 Japanese students with low to high ASD characteristics. We found unsatisfactory goodness-of-fit indices for the five-factor AQ structure. Therefore, we performed an exploratory factor analysis, which identified three factor structures for the 26 items：“sociality,” “social cognition,” and “interest in details/patterns.” In the course of this study, items that were out of step with the times, items that showed a tendency completely opposite to other items were deleted, and items that were included in other factors were scattered, indicating the need to create a new self-administered test for the autism spectrum.