Research & Development
Building evidence-based tools for the autism community
Development Status
APED-Q is currently in active development. The questionnaire has been developed based on:
- Current understanding of how autism presents across the lifespan
- Research on autistic burnout, masking, and compensatory strategies
- Input from autistic adults and clinicians
- Existing validated instruments (adapted conceptually, not directly copied)
Research Goals
Validation Studies
Establish psychometric properties including reliability and validity across populations.
Normative Data
Collect population norms to contextualize individual profiles.
Clinical Utility
Assess how profiles translate to meaningful support recommendations.
Community Collaboration
Partner with autistic researchers and community members throughout development.
Theoretical Foundation
APED-Q is grounded in several key concepts from contemporary autism research:
Dimensional vs. Categorical Approaches
Rather than treating autism as a binary category, APED-Q profiles continuous dimensions of experience, acknowledging that autistic traits vary in expression and impact.
Compensatory Strategies & Masking
Informed by research on camouflaging and social compensation, APED-Q measures the effort invested in adapting to neurotypical expectations.
Autistic Burnout
Drawing on emerging research, APED-Q includes items that capture patterns associated with autistic burnout risk.
Strengths-Based Framework
Consistent with neurodiversity perspectives, APED-Q explicitly measures strengths alongside support needs.
Research Collaboration
We welcome collaboration with researchers interested in:
- Psychometric validation studies
- Cross-cultural adaptation
- Clinical utility studies
- Community-based participatory research
Contact us at research@apedq.com to discuss potential collaboration.