| One of the many theories that have been developed to explain the cognitive and behavioral profile of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders is the Hypersystemizing theory. According to this theory, humans may present different cognitive and behavioral profiles, ranging from an extreme empathizing profile to an extreme systemizing profile. It is suggested that individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), on average, present an extreme systemizing cognitive and behavioral profile when compared to neurotypical (NT) peers. Although this theory has been extensively tested through comparisons of NT males and females with males and females with Asperger's syndrome (AS), a comparison has not been performed with a clinical control group. As such, this study presents the first comparison of individuals with AS to a clinical control group composed of individuals with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) on the Systemizing Quotient (SQ), a measure of systemizing. The results of the investigation indicate that individuals with AS obtain significantly higher scores than individuals with ADHD and NT individuals on the SQ. The results of the investigation lend support to the possibility that an above-average systemizing is unique to ASD and that this may be key to differentiating this disorder from other developmental disorders. |
