Table 3 Item discrimination indices and PPV for each of the 50 items in the AQ across India, Japan and UK

AQ item summary

DI

PPV

DI

PPV

DI

PPV

1. Prefers to do things with others rather than alone

.06^c

.66^c

.38^b

.56^b

.43^b

.75^b

2. Prefers to do things the same way over and over again

.52^b

.60^b

.54^b

.59^b

.62^a

.70^a

3. Finds it very easy to create a picture in her/his mind

.67^a

.94^a

.45^b

.89^b

.55^a

.81^a

4. Gets absorbed in one thing and loses sight of other things

.29^c

.59^c

.40^b

.49^b

.32^b

.60^b

5. Notices small sounds when others do not

.20^c

.46^c

.35^b

.61^b

.52^b

.68^b

6. Notices house numbers or similar strings of information

-.25^c

.33^c

.37^b

.80^b

.30^b

.61^b

7. Has difficulty understanding rules for polite behaviour

.58^a

.78^a

.44^b

.96^b

.80^a

.89^a

8. Can easily imagine what characters in a story look like

.86^a

1^a

.44^b

.64^b

.67^a

.93^a

9. Fascinated by dates

-.22^c

.22^c

.19^c

.66^c

.16^c

.62^c

10. Can easily keep track of different conversations

.57 ^a

.89 ^a

.51 ^a

.76 ^a

.69 ^a

.79 ^a

11. Finds social situations easy

.68^a

.90^a

.60^b

.66^b

.75^a

.86^a

12. Tends to notice details that others do not

.08^c

.36^c

.32^b

.49^b

.24^c

.56^c

13. Would rather go to a library than a birthday party

.17^c

.50^c

.26^c

.60^c

.40^b

.91^b

14. Finds making up stories easy

.87^a

.81^a

.38^b

.45^b

.59^a

.79^a

15. Drawn more strongly to people than to things

.39^b

.50^b

.36^b

.49^b

.55^a

.74^a

16. Has strong interests, gets upset if cannot pursue

.30^b

.56^b

.53^a

.81^a

.36^b

.63^b

17. Enjoys social chit-chat

.75 ^a

.75 ^a

.52 ^a

.97 ^a

.71 ^a

.90 ^a

18. When talking, it is not easy to get a word in edgeways

.02 ^c

.31 ^c

.60 ^a

.83 ^a

.17 ^c

.57 ^c

19. Fascinated

-.03^c

.44^c

.39^b

.81^b

.20^c

.66^c

20. Finds it difficult to work out characters’ feelings in a story

.39^b

.58^b

.37^b

.68^b

.72^a

.88^a

21. Does not particularly enjoy fictional stories

.42^b

.83^b

.31^b

.63^b

.34^b

.80^b

22. Finds it hard to make new friends

.64^a

.74^a

.39^b

.67^b

.67^a

.85^a

23. Notices patterns in things all the time

.10^c

.57^c

.24^c

.63^c

.37^b

.66^b

24. Would rather go to the cinema than a museum

-.24^c

.36^c

.44^b

.63^b

.28^c

.68^c

25. Is not upset if daily routine is disturbed

.13^c

.45^c

.34^b

.67^b

.63^a

.78^a

26. Does not know how to keep a conversation going

.64^b

.68^b

.78^a

1^a

.86^a

.92^a

27. Finds it easy to “read between the lines” in conversation

.47^b

.81^b

.85^a

.84^a

.61^a

.76^a

28. Concentrates more on a whole picture, rather than details

.23^c

.86^c

.58^b

.59^b

.49^b

.69^b

29. Not very good at remembering phone numbers

.03^c

.32^c

-.08^c

.26^c

-.17^c

.45^c

30. Does not usually notice small changes

-.12^c

.36^c

-.13^c

.35^c

-.09^c

.42^c

31. Knows if someone listening is getting bored

.65 ^a

.72 ^a

.80 ^a

.87 ^a

.66 ^a

.74 ^a

32. Finds it easy to alternate between different activities

.58^a

.92^a

.52^b

.54^b

.72^a

.81^a

33. Not sure when it is her/his turn to speak on the phone

.48^b

.62^b

.52^a

.93^a

.69^a

.84^a

34. Enjoys doing things spontaneously

.23 ^c

.50 ^c

.26 ^c

.82 ^c

.57 ^a

.89 ^a

35. Often the last to understand the point of a joke

.14 ^c

.54 ^c

.71 ^a

1 ^a

.62 ^a

.81 ^a

36. Finds it easy to tell how someone feels from their face

.68^a

.80^a

.59^b

.60^b

.69^a

.87^a

37. Can switch back to what they were doing if interrupted

.30^b

.80^b

.51^a

.87^a

.63^a

.84^a

38. Good at social chit-chat

.75 ^a

.86 ^a

.73 ^a

.98 ^a

.80 ^a

.90 ^a

39. People say they go on and on about the same thing

.44^b

.68^b

.59^a

.94^a

.41^b

.70^b

40. Enjoyed playing pretend games with others in preschool

.78^a

.87^a

.38^b

.69^b

.71^a

.86^a

41. Likes to collect information about categories of things

-.40^c

.34^c

.26^c

.52^c

.22^c

.61^c

42. Finds it difficult to imagine being someone else

.38^b

.55^b

.79^a

.85^a

.62^a

.79^a

43. Likes to plan any activities s/he participates in carefully

-.51^c

.25^c

.08^c

.30^c

.18^c

.56^c

44. Enjoys social occasions

.23 ^c

.66 ^c

.51 ^a

.87 ^a

.56 ^a

.92 ^a

45. Finds it difficult to work out people’s intentions

.50 ^a

.72 ^a

.80 ^a

.83 ^a

.63 ^a

.76 ^a

46. New situations make him/her anxious

.61^b

.59^b

.50^b

.59^b

.45^b

.65^b

47. Enjoys meeting new people

.40^b

.82^b

.25^c

.51^c

.49^b

.84^b

48. Is good at taking care not to hurt other people’s feelings

.60^a

.79^a

.41^b

.61^b

.73^a

.88^a

49. Not very good at remembering people’s date of birth

-.26^c

.27^c

.19^c

.42^c

-.18^c

.46^c

50. Finds it easy to play pretend games with children

.73^a

.93^a

.36^b

.63^b

.69^a

.89^a