M-Q-ASC
MODIFIED - QUESTIONNAIRE FOR AUTISM SPECTRUM CONDITIONS
Ages 5-12
NAME: _______________________________________________AGE: __________ (years)
DOB: ____/____/____ GENDER: _______________ Date of completion: ____ /____ /_____
The following screening questionnaire is designed to identify behaviors and abilities in young people aged
5 to 19 years that could be associated with the characteristics of Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC,
frequently defined as ASD – Autism Spectrum Disorders). Below is a list of questions and statements.
Please read each question and statement very carefully and rate how strongly you agree or disagree with
it by circling your answer.
SECTION A If the question describes your child’s behavior when s/he
was younger, please answer retrospectively.
Gendered Behaviour
Is s/he interested in looking feminine? Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
disagree disagree agree agree
Does or did s/he prefer to play with boys’ Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
toys? disagree disagree agree agree
Is s/he interested in looking masculine? Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
disagree disagree agree agree
Does or did s/he prefer to play with girls’ Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
toys? disagree disagree agree agree
Does s/he like to carry an object (e.g. a
favourite toy, a piece of cloth) which s/he Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
touches or rubs to calm themselves? disagree disagree agree agree
SECTION B
Sensory Sensitivity
Is s/he bothered by bright lights or certain Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
kind of lights (e.g. fluorescent light)? disagree disagree agree agree
Does s/he have poor endurance and tire Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
easily? disagree disagree agree agree
Is s/he distressed by certain smells or Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
avoidant of certain tastes that are a part of disagree disagree agree agree
a typical diet?
Does s/he express distress during
grooming (e.g. fights or cries during
fingernail cutting, haircutting, combing) or Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
when s/he is touched (e.g. someone disagree disagree agree agree
touches his/her feet)?
Is s/he easily distracted and cannot focus
his or her attention if there is a lot of noise Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
around? disagree disagree agree agree
Does s/he seek certain sensations (e.g.
jumps, swings, spins, cannot sit still, Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
fidgets, masturbates, leaves clothing disagree disagree agree agree
twisted on body)?
SECTION C
Compliant Behaviour
Does s/he avoid complying with requests Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
from an adult? disagree disagree agree agree
Is s/he well-behaved at home? Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
disagree disagree agree agree
Does s/he apologise when s/he makes a Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
social error? disagree disagree agree agree
Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
Is s/he well-behaved at school? disagree disagree agree agree
Is s/he emotional and his/her reactions out Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
of proportion? disagree disagree agree agree
SECTION D
Friendships & Play
Does s/he enjoy playing with others? Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
disagree disagree agree agree
Does s/he enjoy playing or talking with the Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
opposite gender? disagree disagree agree agree
Does or did s/he have a special interest in Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
friendship? disagree disagree agree agree
Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
Does s/he enjoy talking with others? disagree disagree agree agree
Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
Does s/he have many friends? disagree disagree agree agree
SECTION E
Social Masking
Do some social situations make him or her Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
mute? disagree disagree agree agree
Is s/he shy in social situations? Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
disagree disagree agree agree
Does s/he have a facial ‘mask’ that hides Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
his/her social confusion? disagree disagree agree agree
Does his/her facial expression sometimes Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
not match his/her mood, or the situation? disagree disagree agree agree
Does or did s/he dominate when playing or Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
talking with others? disagree disagree agree agree
SECTION F
Imagination
Did or does s/he enjoy fantasy worlds? Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
disagree disagree agree agree
Is s/he interested in fiction? Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
disagree disagree agree agree
Was or is his/her play as imaginative as Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
other children’s? disagree disagree agree agree
Does or did s/he have imaginary friends or Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
imaginary animals? disagree disagree agree agree
Does or did s/he create his/her own Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
complex ‘setups’ with toys? disagree disagree agree agree
SECTION G
Imitation
Does s/he copy or clone him/herself on Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
others? disagree disagree agree agree
Does s/he adopt a different persona in Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
different situations? disagree disagree agree agree
Does s/he avidly observe others playing or Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
socialising? disagree disagree agree agree
Is s/he interested in looking gender neutral? Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
disagree disagree agree agree
Does or did s/he role-play the teacher or Definitely Slightly Slightly Definitely
other adults in his/her solitary games? disagree disagree agree agree
SECTION H
Medical history
Has s/he ever presented symptoms typical for
depression (e.g. feeling sad, hopeless, trouble sleeping, Yes No
changes in appetite – either loss or gain in weight, suicidal
thoughts and attempts etc.)?
Has s/he ever presented symptoms typical for
anxiety (e.g. dizziness, feeling lightheaded, frequent urination, Yes No
feeling cold or blushing, body aches etc.)?
Has s/he ever presented symptoms typical for
panic attacks (e.g. sense of terror, or impending doom or Yes No
death, feeling dizzy, sweaty or having chills, chest pains, breathing
difficulties etc.)?
Has s/he ever been diagnosed with eating
disorder (i.e. anorexia or bulimia) or presented
symptoms typical for eating disorders (e.g. an intense Yes No
fear of gaining weight, excessive exercise and dieting,
preoccupation with food and/or calories, provoking vomiting,
excessive laxative use etc.)
SCORING for Modified Questionnaire for Autism Spectrum Conditions (M-Q-ASC)
Simcoe, Gilmour, Garnett, Attwood, Donovan & Kelly (In Press, March 2023; JADD
Description:
The M-Q-ASC is a 36-item questionnaire designed to assess parent/caregiver perceptions of behaviour and
abilities associated with autism in children aged 5-12 years, including those pertaining to the female
presentation of ASD Level 1 and 2.
Scoring Information:
To score the questionnaire add up the numbers endorsed for each scale. Higher numbers indicate greater
autism consistent behaviours.
To determine whether the child has more autism consistent behaviours, compare the child’s scores to the
norms as presented in the Table of Norms overleaf.
To Understand the Norms Further:
323 children aged 5-12 years participated in this study. including 111 parents of autistic children and 212
parents of neurotypical children.
Autistic females were differentiated from neurotypical females on 5 subscales:
• Gender Identity
• Sensory Sensitivity
• Compliant Behaviours
• Imagination
• Imitation
Autistic males were differentiated from neurotypical males on 2 subscales:
• Sensory Sensitivity
• Compliant Behaviours
NB: Whilst Sections D & E did not discriminate between autistic girls and neurotypical girls, the individual
questions in each section are relevant to a diagnostic assessment and so we have left these sections in the
questionnaire. Look at each question individually instead of as a whole construct.
That three Sections (subscales) discriminated between autistic girls and neurotypical girls, but not boys,
supports the supposition that autistic females present differently from their male counterpart
Table 3. Descriptive variables and Q-ASC Subscales for females (N = 132) and males (N = 191)
Gendered Sensory Compliant Friendship and Social
Age Imagination Imitation
Behaviour Sensitivity Behaviour Play Masking
FEMALES
Autism group
Mean 8.79 11.19 18.83 12.30 14.00 14.11 15.04 13.15
SD 2.07 3.46 4.06 3.02 2.69 3.13 3.57 2.57
Neurotypical
group
Mean 7.72 8.45 9.78 15.60 16.97 10.15 15.56 11.06
SD 2.16 2.16 3.30 2.69 2.04 2.89 2.81 2.45
MALES
Autism group
Mean 8.86 8.42 17.20 11.92 14.17 12.11 13.80 9.88
SD 2.20 2.47 4.31 3.41 3.24 3.21 3.46 3.34
Neurotypical
group
Mean 7.51 7.91 10.09 15.38 16.57 10.24 14.51 9.47
SD 2.31 2.01 3.85 2.95 2.34 2.73 2.93 2.57
