An eccentric and famous scientific genius has been hired to help the radio world

 If we could hire a genius who once lived and changed the world in the past, or a brilliant fictional mind who is truly out of the ordinary, who would the radio industry choose? Let’s keep the possibilities open: it could be someone to revolutionize radio technology or to save a struggling station. What names come to mind? I’d love to hear from readers about who they would choose and why.

But to help spark your imagination, I’ll start by simulating a hire of my own. I’m not claiming it would be the perfect choice, but it’s definitely an experiment in bringing in someone who doesn’t think like a typical radio person, someone who could offer a fresh perspective precisely because they’re not one of us, the ones deeply immersed in radio all our lives.

The Mission

The mission is to find a consultant capable of helping radio take a bold leap forward—making it stronger and more competitive amid the growing number of distractions and content consumption alternatives of the current era.

I’ve chosen a fictional genius and will simulate the kind of insights someone like him could provide regarding the strategic paths we could follow to build a new kind of radio, one resilient enough to face the brutal competition posed by social media, modern music consumption habits, and fragmented attention spans.

I know that a single interaction wouldn’t be enough to generate all the answers needed for such a complex and multifaceted medium. Radio needs multiple solutions. Still, we’ll begin with a symbolic encounter.

Chosen Consultant: Sheldon Cooper

Sheldon Cooper is the genius who will guide us in seeking those answers.

By invoking this remarkable character, we fully acknowledge that this is a simulation of an idealized genius of our time—deeply connected to science, and, paradoxically, one who could help redesign a medium that, despite its scientific underpinnings, has yet to fully capture the public imagination as a relational force.

I chose Sheldon for three reasons:

1. His sheer brilliance—he is capable of inventing something entirely new for radio.

2. His compatibility with radio—a companion medium that could, surprisingly, offer him social and interactive benefits.

3. By coincidence, I had the opportunity, together with university colleagues, to choose Sheldon as the subject of a study. Through the episodes of the series, we were able to closely and accurately understand who that character truly was. This work was carried out in May 2025 with the aim of evaluating several aspects of his personality and outlining his behavioral profile and other unique characteristics of his existence. This helped us recognize just how revolutionary his contributions could be—not only to radio as a technological platform, but to a specific station or business model. He is a tool of such potential that it’s impossible not to envision countless and distinct possibilities.

Meet Our Consultant: Sheldon Cooper

Personality Traits

• Extremely logical and rational: Sheldon prioritizes logic over emotion in all situations.

• Rigid and methodical: He has a deep need to follow routines and structured rules.

• Introverted and solitary: He prefers to be alone rather than engage in social interaction.

• Low emotional empathy: He struggles to understand others' feelings and intentions.

• Low cognitive flexibility: He has difficulty dealing with unexpected changes or ambiguity.

Things Sheldon LIKES

• Fixed routines: Such as eating specific meals on certain days.

• Controlled environments: Like his apartment, his spot on the couch, or laboratories.

• Scientific and intellectual subjects: Theoretical physics, math, astronomy.

• Numbers and patterns: He enjoys analyzing and collecting data.

• Comics, games, and sci-fi: A fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, The Flash.

• Categorization and collecting: He memorizes and organizes information obsessively.

• Meticulous planning: Every task must be scheduled and executed with precision.

Things Sheldon DISLIKES

• Spontaneous social interactions: Like parties or small talk.

• Routine disruption: Any change in his schedule unsettles him.

• Make-believe and pretend play: He neither appreciates nor understands such activities.

• Cultural or artistic events: Like theater or fiction—he prefers science and museums.

• Implied humor: He struggles to grasp sarcasm or irony.

• Being interrupted: It disrupts his focus and irritates him.

Unique Skills and Talents

• Eidetic memory: Remembers numbers, dates, and facts with precision.

• Exceptional analytical skills: His logical reasoning is far above average.

• Advanced mental visualization: Can imagine abstract concepts clearly.

• Extreme attention to detail: Notices minute changes others overlook.

• Obsessive interest in specific subjects: Becomes deeply specialized.

• Intellectual persistence: Highly dedicated to his projects and research.

Sheldon ended up having characteristics that would serve both the radio industry as a whole, being a tremendous contributor to the advancement of digital radio innovation,and also be extremely useful to a radio network or even a single station. He would adapt efficiently to each of these roles.

So, to keep things from getting too lengthy, I’ll present both his general contributions to the industry and specific applications that could be adopted by any radio station, regardless of its size, in a more consolidated way

How Sheldon Could Help

1. Technology Development and Innovation

• Technical feasibility analysis of new technologies, with detailed mathematical and physical modeling.

• Digital transmission system design, spectrum optimization, interference analysis, and audio compression algorithms.

• Automation and AI projects applied to radio operations (e.g., automated playlist scheduling, audience pattern detection).

• Signal propagation simulations, geographic reach, and impact of weather or urban interference on signal quality.

2. Audience Behavior Research

• Sheldon is highly qualified to analyze large datasets (Big Data) and identify hidden listening patterns.

• He could build predictive audience retention models based on time, content type, temperature, and more.

• Would develop content personalization algorithms, matching listener profiles with ideal times, formats, and interactions.

3. Creation of Technical Standards and Protocols

• Would establish ultra-precise internal standards for content production, transmission, and archiving.

• Could define audio quality benchmarks, metadata handling, and multimedia synchronization.

• Would contribute to the development of technical white papers or interoperability protocols for regulators and partners.

4. Strategic Long-Term Projections

Sheldon could model scenarios using historical data and advanced forecasting to predict:

• Technology migration (analog → digital)

• Adoption trends of new receivers

• Competitive evolution with streaming, podcasts, and social platforms

!What Not to Ask Sheldon (or where he needs mediation)!

Area	Risk	Recommended Action
Stakeholder relations	Lacks empathy and diplomacy	Always include a mediator for meetings with clients, politicians, or investors
Advertising campaigns	Cannot think like the average listener	Use his insights, but let creatives handle public messaging
Team management	Rigid, impatient with errors	Keep him as a technical advisor, not a people manager
Creative storytelling or emotional content	Low empathy, weak narrative skills	He should not write scripts or content meant to be emotionally engaging

!How to Maximize Sheldon's Impact on Your Strategy!

• Use his analytical mind for data-based decisionse.g., signal expansion, licensing decisions, investments in new technologies.

• Create an "innovation lab"Give Sheldon freedom to explore emerging technologies with practical applications.

• Respect his routines and limitsStructured environments help him perform at his best.

• Appoint human translatorsUse a team to convert his ideas into business-friendly language.

• Involve him in audits and technical diagnosticsHe will detect flaws that others miss, even in highly optimized systems.

Sheldon as a Radio Solutions Architect

Sheldon is not a communicator, manager, or marketer. But as a data scientist, systems engineer, technology strategist, and audience analyst, he would be a cornerstone of any effort to:

• Transform a traditional radio station into a modern digital media platform

• Optimize technical infrastructure for maximum operational efficiency

• Create competitive advantages through science, technology, and precise audience analysis

If Sheldon Cooper were to lead a revolution in radio, we would witness a transformation that is highly technical, rational, structured, and disruptive, a true reinvention of the medium, grounded in logic, science, and extreme efficiency

1. Philosophical and Technical Foundations of the Revolution

“If something can be measured, it can be improved.”Sheldon would place metrics and algorithms at the center of radio operations, arguing that decisions should only be made based on robust statistical data.

“Routines reduce entropy.”He would design rigidly structured operational models to ensure maximum predictability, stability, and efficiency within radio stations.

2. Immediate Technological Innovation

a) Transmission

• Full-scale adoption in full digital mode:

  • High audio quality

  • Low energy consumption

  • Advanced metadata delivery (PDFs, images, program guides)

• Self-adjusting transmission networks, based on real-time signal propagation simulations using artificial intelligence.

b) Receivers

Sheldon’s Protocol: “Receivers must be intelligent.”

• Automatic detection of user preferences

• Content suggestions based on listening behavior and even ambient temperature

• Text-to-speech conversion for interactive PDFs received via radio

3. Redesigning the Listener Experience

“Why doesn’t radio talk to me like Siri or Alexa?”→ He would implement voice assistants integrated with programming, allowing listeners to:

• Ask questions directly to the host

• Receive real-time news summaries

• Send instant feedback to fine-tune content

He would also create individualized listening profiles, so each listener receives a fully customized programming schedule (similar to “Sheldon Cooper’s Customized Schedule”).

4. The New Science of Radio Programming

He would develop predictive mathematical models for:

• Audience peaks by region

• Optimal content insertion times

• Automatic detection of listener drop-off (with contingency plans)

And design algorithmic classification systems for music and content based on:

• Retention rates

• Estimated emotional resonance (using machine learning)

• Correlation with local weather and social context

5. Operational Automation

Creation of the Cooper System for Automated Programming (CSAP):

• Perfectly timed content scheduling

• Automatic volume and equalization adjustments based on the listener’s psychoacoustic profile

• Commercial selection based on estimated neurological profile

No One Knows Everything, No One Achieves Results Alone

Despite being brilliant, we would have to be careful with certain things that Sheldon would despise in radio, which have a deep connection to emotions—points where Sheldon distances himself greatly from listeners. Thus, we would need to mediate his inferences, seriously considering that not everything he proposes to discard from current radio should actually be discarded.

 DNA of a 100% Sheldon-Optimized Radio Station

Element	Description
Mission	Maximize informational efficiency and auditory retention in radio content
Vision	Become the world’s first fully logical and scientifically optimized station
Ideal Host	An AI trained to speak like Sheldon Cooper
Standard Soundtrack	Mathematically perfect musical structures
Prime Time	Defined based on each listener’s circadian rhythm
Ideal Commercial	Short, direct, data-driven. Zero emotional appeal

What Sheldon Would Eliminate from Radio:

• Content without logical or factual foundation

• Improvised live interactions

• Music chosen solely based on trends or emotional appeal

• Stations without biweekly plans, performance metrics, and data reviews

Radio According to Sheldon Cooper

A medium is only worthy of existence if it can optimize its spectrum, deliver useful data, and be statistically more efficient than TV, streaming, or TikTok, all within a predictable schedule and with a host who doesn’t tell idiotic jokes.”

Sheldon would bring us a scientific, interactive, logical, personalized, digital, and incredibly efficient radio, perhaps too cold for some, but irresistibly functional for analytical minds.

Back to our World

Radio will still demand soul over mathematics, with art as something still inexplicable serving as a guide through various moments of dilemma that each station will experience. Even so, despite the universe being driven by mathematics, there are so many variables that the best approximation of such calculations will be intuition.

I don't intend to be extensive, everything here is merely an exercise, one that could lead to countless other answers and be imagined in unpredictable ways by many different people. I'm not aiming for precision or determinism in this simulation; it's simply an invitation to use our imagination. In fact, this is something I do quite often: I frequently put myself in the mindset of a particular way of thinking to explore how certain problems might be approached. It's not unusual for me to take the perspective of everyday people in order to understand patterns in mass audience behavior, and at other times I challenge myself to do what is perhaps the hardest, trying to see things from the point of view of someone whose incredible capacity for thought few people in the world could even begin to follow.

It ends up being an exercise in understanding others, shaping the different realities that people live, whether they are part of the majority or minority of the radio audience, whether they reflect the average way of thinking or are outliers whose perspectives we try to keep up with. These days, I no longer allow myself to criticize anyone’s musical taste or personal preferences. In fact, the ability to understand the desires of mass audiences is something I regard as a highly valuable skill

Once again, I must repeat,these exercises in understanding are nothing new to me. Even before working at 98 FM and 89 FM Natal, I already recognized this as a factor that few would actually apply in radio. So, it became a personal tool, one that I couldn’t say how many others in the industry were also using.

Additional information about this simulation

• My side as a psychology student at UniRN in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

At the end of May 2025, I completed an academic assignment in which we were tasked with selecting a notable character from Brazil or the world who stood out in some relevant way for assessments or screening tests in the Psychodiagnosis course

I wasn’t alone in this assignment, I had classmates assisting with the research, and one of the names suggested was Sheldon Cooper. We all agreed it was an excellent choice, as the goal was to apply tests to the selected character in a way that aligned with behaviors already demonstrated in the series.

A simulation of the initial steps of a psychodiagnostic assessment, designed for educational purposes only

Here we present a thought-provoking simulation of the AQ assessment applied to the brilliant Sheldon Cooper, a fascinating character for Psychology students. Through fiction, we have the privilege of observing how he "responds" to the entire test based on the rich episodes of The Big Bang Theory. It's impossible not to recognize the value of this remarkable performance, which greatly contributes to the understanding of complex traits and behaviors.

It is important to emphasize: this is a fictional representation. It is not a label, diagnosis, problem, or determination. Above all, it is a valuable contribution that the character offers to the study of Psychology in any university around the world.

Application of the AQ Test (Fictional Simulation for Educational Purposes)

The Autism Spectrum Quotient: Adults (AQ) is an instrument that evaluates different aspects of an individual’s behavior and reactions through a wide range of questions. Based on the answers provided by the fictional character Sheldon Cooper from the series The Big Bang Theory, it is possible to analyze traits related to the autism spectrum and calculate his AQ score. Below, we present the 50 proposed questions, along with Sheldon's answers and the justifications based on his behavior in the series.

Questions and Answers

I prefer to do things with others rather than on my own.Answer: d) Strongly disagreeJustification: Sheldon prefers solitary activities like working on his scientific projects and often avoids unnecessary social interactions.

I prefer to do things the same way over and over again.Answer: a) Strongly agreeJustification: Sheldon is obsessed with routines, such as eating specific foods on certain days or maintaining his "spot" on the couch.

When I try to imagine something, I find it very easy to create a picture in my mind.Answer: a) Strongly agreeJustification: His highly analytical and scientific mind suggests great mental visualization capacity, as seen when solving theoretical problems.

I frequently get so strongly absorbed in one thing that I lose sight of other things.Answer: a) Strongly agreeJustification: Sheldon often becomes deeply absorbed in his projects or interests, ignoring his surroundings.

I often notice small sounds that others do not.Answer: b) Slightly agreeJustification: While Sheldon is detail-oriented, there is no frequent evidence of him noticing specific sounds; however, his observant nature suggests it may happen occasionally.

I usually notice car number plates or similar strings of information.Answer: a) Strongly agreeJustification: Sheldon is fascinated by patterns and numbers, often memorizing scientific data and sequences.

Other people frequently tell me that what I've said is impolite, even though I think it was polite.Answer: a) Strongly agreeJustification: Sheldon often unintentionally offends others, believing he's being logical or polite.

When I read a story, I can easily imagine what the characters might look like.Answer: b) Slightly agreeJustification: Though Sheldon has a visual mind, he's not particularly inclined toward fiction, which may limit this ability.

I'm fascinated by dates.Answer: a) Strongly agreeJustification: Sheldon easily memorizes historical and scientific dates and shows clear interest in them.

In a social group, I can easily keep track of several conversations at once.Answer: d) Strongly disagreeJustification: Sheldon struggles with social interactions and often loses track in group conversations.

I find social situations easy.Answer: d) Strongly disagreeJustification: Sheldon is notoriously unable to understand social nuances such as sarcasm or others' emotions.

I tend to notice details that others do not.Answer: a) Strongly agreeJustification: His attention to detail is a defining trait, such as noticing minor inconsistencies.

I would rather go to a library than a party.Answer: a) Strongly agreeJustification: Sheldon prefers intellectual and quiet environments like libraries over social events.

I find it easy to come up with imaginative stories.Answer: d) Strongly disagreeJustification: He shows no interest or skill in creating fictional narratives, preferring facts.

I find myself drawn more strongly to people than to things.Answer: d) Strongly disagreeJustification: Sheldon is more attached to objects and ideas (like his research) than interpersonal relationships.

I tend to have very strong interests, and I get upset if I can’t pursue them.Answer: a) Strongly agreeJustification: His interests, such as theoretical physics and comic books, are intense, and he becomes frustrated when interrupted.

I enjoy social chit-chat.Answer: d) Strongly disagreeJustification: Sheldon avoids small talk and prefers focused intellectual discussions.

When I’m talking, it’s hard for others to get a word in edgeways.Answer: a) Strongly agreeJustification: He often dominates conversations with long, detailed monologues.

I am fascinated by numbers.Answer: a) Strongly agreeJustification: As a theoretical physicist, numbers and equations are central to his life.

When reading a story, I find it difficult to work out the characters’ intentions.Answer: a) Strongly agreeJustification: Sheldon struggles to grasp emotional intentions, even in narratives.

I don’t particularly enjoy reading fiction.Answer: a) Strongly agreeJustification: He prefers scientific texts or comic books over traditional fiction.

I find it hard to make new friends.Answer: a) Strongly agreeJustification: Sheldon has difficulty forming social connections and has few close friends.

I notice patterns in things all the time.Answer: a) Strongly agreeJustification: His analytical mind constantly identifies patterns and structures.

I would rather go to the theater than a museum.Answer: d) Strongly disagreeJustification: Sheldon prefers museums, especially scientific ones, over artistic events like theater.

It does not upset me if my daily routine is disturbed.Answer: d) Strongly disagreeJustification: Routine changes, such as meal schedule shifts, deeply upset him.

I frequently find that I don’t know how to keep a conversation going.Answer: a) Strongly agreeJustification: He often struggles to maintain normal social conversations.

I find it easy to “read between the lines” when someone is talking to me.Answer: d) Strongly disagreeJustification: He fails to pick up on subtext or implied meanings in conversations.

I usually concentrate more on the whole picture rather than the small details.Answer: d) Strongly disagreeJustification: Sheldon is detail-obsessed rather than focused on the bigger picture.

I am not very good at remembering phone numbers.Answer: d) Strongly disagreeJustification: His eidetic memory suggests he remembers numbers easily.

I don’t usually notice small changes in a situation or a person’s appearance.Answer: d) Strongly disagreeJustification: He detects small changes, like environmental or object alterations.

I know how to tell if someone listening to me is getting bored.Answer: d) Strongly disagreeJustification: He doesn't pick up on social cues like boredom.

I find it easy to do more than one thing at once.Answer: b) Slightly agreeJustification: Although brilliant, he prefers to intensely focus on one task at a time.

When I talk on the phone, I’m not sure when it’s my turn to speak.Answer: a) Strongly agreeJustification: Sheldon struggles with pauses and turn-taking in conversations.

I enjoy doing things spontaneously.Answer: d) Strongly disagreeJustification: He dislikes spontaneity and prefers rigid planning.

I am often the last to understand the point of a joke.Answer: a) Strongly agreeJustification: He frequently doesn’t understand humor, especially sarcasm.

I find it easy to work out what someone is thinking or feeling just by looking at their face.Answer: d) Strongly disagreeJustification: He doesn’t easily read facial expressions or emotions.

If I get interrupted, I can easily get back to what I was doing.Answer: d) Strongly disagreeJustification: Interruptions annoy him and disrupt his focus.

I am good at social chit-chat.Answer: d) Strongly disagreeJustification: He is not skilled in casual conversation.

People often tell me that I keep going on and on about the same thing.Answer: a) Strongly agreeJustification: Sheldon obsessively repeats ideas and interests.

When I was a child, I enjoyed playing pretend games with other children.Answer: d) Strongly disagreeJustification: He likely preferred intellectual activities over imaginative play.

I like collecting information about categories of things (e.g., types of cars, birds, trains, plants, etc.).Answer: a) Strongly agreeJustification: His interest in comics and scientific facts reflects this tendency.

I find it difficult to imagine what it would be like to be someone else.Answer: a) Strongly agreeJustification: Sheldon shows little emotional empathy and struggles to see things from others' perspectives.

I like to carefully plan any activities I participate in.Answer: a) Strongly agreeJustification: He meticulously plans everything, from schedules to agreements.

I enjoy social events.Answer: d) Strongly disagreeJustification: He avoids social gatherings whenever possible.

I find it hard to work out people’s intentions.Answer: a) Strongly agreeJustification: He frequently fails to understand others' motivations.

New situations make me anxious.Answer: a) Strongly agreeJustification: Change and novelty make him uncomfortable.

I enjoy meeting new people.Answer: d) Strongly disagreeJustification: Sheldon does not seek out new social connections.

I am a good diplomat in social situations.Answer: d) Strongly disagreeJustification: He is often rigid and unaccommodating.

I am not very good at remembering people’s birthdays.Answer: d) Strongly disagreeJustification: His exceptional memory suggests he remembers important dates.

I find it easy to play pretend games with children.Answer: d) Strongly disagreeJustification: He shows neither skill nor interest in imaginative play.

Score

Sheldon scores 1 point on 43 out of the 50 questions, resulting in a total score of 43/50.

Interpretation

Score ≥ 32: Indicates a high probability of traits associated with the autism spectrum.Sheldon’s score of 43 is significantly above this threshold.

Observed Characteristics

Social difficulties:Sheldon shows marked challenges in understanding social situations (Q11, Q27, Q36), grasping others' intentions (Q20, Q45), maintaining conversations (Q26, Q33), and forming friendships (Q22). He also avoids social events (Q44, Q47) and tends not to be conciliatory (Q48).

Preference for routines and resistance to change:He strongly prefers rigid routines (Q2, Q25, Q43) and becomes anxious in new situations (Q46).

Attention to detail and fascination with patterns:Sheldon notices details that others often miss (Q12, Q23, Q30) and is fascinated by numbers, dates, and sequences (Q6, Q9, Q19, Q41).

Intense and restricted interests:He exhibits deep interests (Q16, Q39) such as theoretical physics and comic books, to the extent of becoming fully absorbed in them (Q4).

Difficulty with social imagination:Sheldon does not engage in pretend play (Q40, Q50), struggles to put himself in others’ shoes (Q42), and prefers facts over fiction (Q21).

Conclusion of the Analysis

Sheldon scored 43 out of 50 on the AQ test, well above the cutoff of 32, which indicates a high likelihood of autism spectrum traits, and also above 26, which already suggests significant traits. His score reflects consistent characteristics aligned with the autism spectrum across multiple dimensions of the test, including social difficulties, strong preference for routines, attention to detail, intense interests, and challenges with social imagination.

The Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) is a self-assessment questionnaire developed by Simon Baron-Cohen and colleagues at the Autism Research Centre at the University of Cambridge in 2001. It is designed to measure traits associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in adults with average or above-average intelligence. Below, I answer your questions regarding public access to the test and which professionals are qualified to administer it, based on available information.

Is the AQ test open to public access?

Yes, the AQ test is publicly accessible. The questionnaire was published in 2001 in the academic article by Baron-Cohen et al., and it is available on various online platforms, such as psychology websites, clinics, and research centers—often free of charge. For example:

• Websites such as kiai.med.br and matheustriliconeurologia.com.br offer online versions of the test without requiring registration.

• The full 50-question version of the AQ can also be found in publications such as The Autistic Brain by Temple Grandin or on websites like idrlabs.com.

The test is widely accessible for self-screening or preliminary assessment, but the authors emphasize that it is not a diagnostic tool and should be used cautiously, preferably under professional guidance.

Although the test is in the public domain and can be answered by anyone, the accurate interpretation of its results should be done by qualified professionals, as the score alone (typically ≥32 indicating significant ASD traits) does not confirm an autism diagnosis!

Which professionals can administer the AQ test?

The AQ is a screening tool, not a definitive diagnostic instrument. Its administration and interpretation are recommended for professionals trained in mental health or neurodevelopment. Qualified professionals include:

• Psychiatrists: As medical doctors specialized in mental health, they may use the AQ as part of a broader clinical assessment to investigate ASD traits. They are qualified to issue formal diagnoses based on DSM-5 or ICD-11 criteria.

• Psychologists/Neuropsychologists: Psychologists trained in neuropsychological evaluation or specializing in ASD can administer the AQ and integrate it with other tools, such as clinical interviews, neuropsychological tests, and instruments like the ADOS-2 or ADI-R.

• Neurologists: Especially those focused on neurodevelopmental disorders, may use the AQ for initial screening to guide further evaluation.

• Speech-Language Pathologists: In some contexts, speech therapists specializing in ASD may use the AQ to assess communicative and pragmatic aspects, particularly in children, although the AQ is mainly intended for adults.

• Multidisciplinary teams: ASD diagnosis is often carried out by teams including psychiatrists, psychologists, neuropsychologists, speech therapists, and other professionals, using the AQ as a complementary tool alongside other assessments.

Important Considerations

• Not a diagnostic test: Although the AQ is publicly available, the authors caution that it does not replace a comprehensive clinical evaluation. A high score (≥32) suggests the presence of autistic traits, but a formal diagnosis requires assessment by professionals experienced with ASD, considering clinical history, behavioral observation, and other standardized tools.

• Lack of standardization in Brazil: In Brazil, the AQ does not yet have an officially standardized and validated version for the local population, which demands caution when interpreting results. Studies are underway to adapt the scale to the Brazilian context.

• Screening use: The AQ is most commonly used as a screening tool to identify individuals who may benefit from further evaluation. Professionals should combine AQ results with other tools such as clinical interviews, direct observation, and assessments like ADOS-2, ADI-R, or M-CHAT (for children).

• Limitations: The AQ relies on self-report, which can be influenced by an individual’s self-awareness or subjective interpretations of the questions. Furthermore, it does not assess the severity or impact of traits on daily life, reinforcing the need for professional interpretation to contextualize the results.

The AQ test is publicly accessible and can be found on various online platforms. It is widely used as a screening tool for traits associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in adults. However, its administration and interpretation should be carried out by qualified professionals such as psychiatrists, psychologists/neuropsychologists, neurologists, or speech-language pathologists with expertise in ASD—preferably within a multidisciplinary context.

For an accurate diagnosis, it is essential to undergo a comprehensive clinical evaluation with specialists in ASD, especially given the complexity of the condition and the lack of standardization of the AQ in Brazil. If you or someone close to you is considering taking the test, it is strongly recommended to discuss the results with a professional to ensure proper assessment.