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Cited by 251Autism Spectrum Disorder ResearchPersonality Traits and PsychologyNeuroendocrine regulation and behavior

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 26 of the 26 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

The Friendship Questionnaire: An Investigation of Adults with Asperger Syndrome or High-Functioning Autism, and Normal Sex Differences

Baron-Cohen, Simon, Wheelwright, Sally·2003·Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
DOI 10.1023/a:1025879411971
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Abstract

Friendship is an important part of normal social functioning, yet there are precious few instruments for measuring individual differences in this domain. In this article, we report a new self-report questionnaire, the Friendship Questionnaire (FQ), for use with adults of normal intelligence. A high score on the FQ is achieved by the respondent reporting that they enjoy close, empathic, supportive, caring friendships that are important to them; that they like and are interested in people; and that they enjoy interacting with others for its own sake. The FQ has a maximum score of 135 and a minimum of zero. In Study 1, we carried out a study of n = 76 (27 males and 49 females) adults from a general population, to test for previously reported sex differences in friendships. This confirmed that women scored significantly higher than men. In Study 2, we employed the FQ with n = 68 adults (51 males, 17 females) with Asperger Syndrome or high-functioning autism to test the theory that autism is an extreme form of the male brain. The adults with Asperger Syndrome or high-functioning autism scored significantly lower on the FQ than both the male and female controls from Study 1. The FQ thus reveals both a sex difference in the style of friendship in the general population, and provides support for the extreme male brain theory of autism.

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Crossref · 10.1023/a:1025879411971

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26 of 26 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • The friendship questionnaire was modified from its original adult form, had not been validated, and had relatively low reliability.

    “This is an important finding, however, study limitations should not be ignored; the friendship questionnaire (FQ, Baron-Cohen and Wheelwright 2003) was modified from its original form for adults, and this had not been validated and had relatively low reliability.”

    From Barriers to Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis for Young Women and Girls: a Systematic Review (2021) · cites this paper as Baron-Cohen and Wheelwright 2003

  • Individuals with ASD score lower on the friendship questionnaire.

    “individuals with ASD score lower on the friendship questionnaire (which tests constructs such as pleasure in close friendships or enjoyment in interaction for its own sake) [62]”

    From The social motivation theory of autism (2012) · cites this paper as [62]

  • High-functioning ASD cases scored lower than typical males on measures of empathy and friendship, and higher than typical males on measures of systemizing.

    “In these studies, high-functioning ASD cases scored lower than typical males on measures of empathy and friendship, and higher than typical males on measures of systemizing.”

    From Sex differences in autism spectrum disorders (2013) · cites this paper as [62]

  • Typical females score significantly higher on measures of empathizing and value placed on meaningful relationships with others.

    “Early work convincingly demonstrated that typical females score significantly higher on measures of empathizing and value placed on meaningful relationships with others [61,62]”

    From Sex differences in autism spectrum disorders (2013) · cites this paper as [62]

Citations

Cites

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Research works printed but not linked: 4

  1. Baron-Cohen, S. (2000). The cognitive neuroscience of autism: Implications for the evolution of the male brain. In M. Gazzaniga (Ed.), The Cognitive Neurosciences, 2nd ed., Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
  2. Baron-Cohen, S., Wheelwright, S., Griffin, R., Lawson, J., & Hill, J. (2002). The exact mind: Empathising and systemising in autism spectrum conditions. In U. Goswami (Ed.), Handbook of Cognitive Development. Oxford: Blackwells.
  3. Golombok, S., & Fivush, R. (1994). Gender development. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  4. Lawson, J., Baron-Cohen, S., & Wheelwright, S. (in press). Empathizing and systemizing in adults with high-functioning autism or Asperger's Syndrome. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

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Metadata

Authors
Baron-Cohen, S., & Wheelwright, S.
Affiliations
University of Cambridge (GB)
ORCID
Wheelwright, Sally
Venue
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2003-10
Volume
33
Issue
5
Pages
509-517
ISSN
  • 0162-3257 (ISSN-L)
  • 1573-3432
DOI
10.1023/a:1025879411971
OpenAlex
W1498890407
Cited by
251
References
26
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 19 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 12
FWCI
3.91
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Medical Research Council
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
Keywords
friendship, Asperger syndrome, high-functioning autism, sex differences, extreme male brain theory, social functioning, empathy, self-report questionnaire, adults
MeSH terms
Adult, Autistic Disorder, Cognition, Empathy, Female, Humans, Male, Psychological Tests, Psychological Theory, Surveys and Questionnaires, Sex Characteristics, Asperger Syndrome

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