Table 3.
Mean total AQ and factor scores per group, sex, and field of study
| Sex | N | Total AQ score (SD) | Social interaction factor (SD) | Attention to detail factor (SD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Humanities students | ||||
| Total | 128a | 104.46 (12.35) | 80.71 (11.88) | 23.76 (3.99) |
| ♂ | 39 | 105.54 (12.94) | 81.77 (12.91) | 23.77 (3.44) |
| ♀ | 88 | 103.99 (12.13) | 80.24 (11.43) | 23.75 (4.24) |
| Social sciences students | ||||
| Total | 594b | 99.07 (11.19) | 75.41 (10.09) | 23.66 (4.26) |
| ♂ | 123 | 101.32 (12.16) | 77.32 (11.17) | 24.00 (4.21) |
| ♀ | 459 | 98.47 (10.84) | 74.91 (9.73) | 23.56 (4.28) |
| Natural and technical sciences students | ||||
| Total | 239c | 109.66 (13.37) | 85.41 (12.54) | 24.26 (4.53) |
| ♂ | 203 | 109.41 (13.73) | 85.53 (12.80) | 23.89 (4.49) |
| ♀ | 32 | 111.28 (10.81) | 84.69 (10.87) | 26.59 (4.08) |
| Test study | Main effect: F = 41.41*** | F = 28.22*** | F = 5.34** | |
| Test sex | Interaction effect: F = 5.92** | |||
| Test sex | Effect within field of study: F = .40 (ns) | |||
| General population | ||||
| Total | 302d | 104.20 (11.29) | 79.88 (10.68) | 24.32 (4.97) |
| ♂ | 137 | 105.66 (10.99) | 81.52 (10.98) | 24.14 (4.78) |
| ♀ | 160 | 102.93 (11.50) | 78.49 (10.25) | 24.44 (5.18) |
| Test sex | Main effect F = 5.55* | t = 2.46* | t = −.52 (ns) | |
| Test age | Main effect: F = .46 (ns) | |||
| ASC | 12 | 142.25 (22.01) | 114.83 (19.12) | 27.42 (5.29) |
| SAD | 12 | 114.17 (16.64) | 95.50 (15.01) | 18.67 (5.16) |
| OCD | 12 | 114.83 (12.55) | 91.50 (14.07) | 23.33 (6.49) |
| Test diagnosis | Main effect F = 19.17*** | |||
| ASC vs SAD | t = 3.99*** | t = 2.88** | t = 4.28*** | |
| ASC vs OCD | t = 3.99*** | t = 3.56** | t = 1.99* | |
| ASC vs general population | t = 6.89*** | t = 6.57*** | t = 2.10* | |
Note: ASC = autism spectrum condition; SAD = social anxiety disorder; OCD = obsessive-compulsive disorder. a 1 subject sex unknown; b 12 subjects sex unknown; c 4 subjects sex unknown; d 5 subjects sex unknown
In general population sample: outlier score = 167 left out of the analysis; in student sample: 2 outliers score = 165 and 161 left out of the analysis
* p < .05; ** p < .01; *** p < .001; ns = non significant