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Screening tools · Autistic traits

Adult Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ).

A 50-item screening questionnaire that asks people age 16 and older about autistic traits. The result can help identify questions to explore, but it cannot establish or rule out autism.

What this measure assesses

The Adult AQ asks about social, communication, attention-switching, imagination and detail-related preferences and experiences. It takes approximately 10 minutes.

Limits of the result

AQ scores are influenced by how a person interprets and answers each item. The measure does not assess developmental history, functional impact, alternative explanations or the complete information needed for autism assessment.

Questionnaire

Autism Spectrum Quotient — AQ

Intended for: People age 16 and older; self-report

Choose one response for every statement. Use the answer that best reflects your usual experience.

Your answers and score are not sent to BrainLab.

1. I prefer to do things with others rather than on my own.
2. I prefer to do things the same way over and over again.
3. If I try to imagine something, I find it very easy to create a picture in my mind.
4. I frequently get so strongly absorbed in one thing that I lose sight of other things.
5. I often notice small sounds when others do not.
6. I usually notice car number plates or similar strings of information.
7. Other people frequently tell me that what I’ve said is impolite, even though I think it is polite.
8. When I’m reading a story, I can easily imagine what the characters might look like.
9. I am fascinated by dates.
10. In a social group, I can easily keep track of several different people’s conversations.
11. I find social situations easy.
12. I tend to notice details that others do not.
13. I would rather go to a library than a party.
14. I find making up stories easy.
15. I find myself drawn more strongly to people than to things.
16. I tend to have very strong interests which I get upset about if I can’t pursue.
17. I enjoy social chit-chat.
18. When I talk, it isn’t always easy for others to get a word in edgeways.
19. I am fascinated by numbers.
20. When I’m reading a story, I find it difficult to work out the characters’ intentions.
21. I don’t particularly enjoy reading fiction.
22. I find it hard to make new friends.
23. I notice patterns in things all the time.
24. I would rather go to the theatre than a museum.
25. It does not upset me if my daily routine is disturbed.
26. I frequently find that I don’t know how to keep a conversation going.
27. I find it easy to ‘read between the lines’ when someone is talking to me.
28. I usually concentrate more on the whole picture, rather than the small details.
29. I am not very good at remembering phone numbers.
30. I don’t usually notice small changes in a situation, or a person’s appearance.
31. I know how to tell if someone listening to me is getting bored.
32. I find it easy to do more than one thing at once.
33. When I talk on the phone, I’m not sure when it’s my turn to speak.
34. I enjoy doing things spontaneously.
35. I am often the last to understand the point of a joke.
36. I find it easy to work out what someone is thinking or feeling just by looking at their face.
37. If there is an interruption, I can switch back to what I was doing very quickly.
38. I am good at social chit-chat.
39. People often tell me that I keep going on and on about the same thing.
40. When I was young, I used to enjoy playing games involving pretending with other children.
41. I like to collect information about categories of things (for example, types of car, bird, train or plant).
42. I find it difficult to imagine what it would be like to be someone else.
43. I like to plan any activities I participate in carefully.
44. I enjoy social occasions.
45. I find it difficult to work out people’s intentions.
46. New situations make me anxious.
47. I enjoy meeting new people.
48. I am a good diplomat.
49. I am not very good at remembering people’s date of birth.
50. I find it very easy to play games with children that involve pretending.

0 of 50 answered

Score guide

Understanding this score

Use the score as one piece of information. A screening questionnaire cannot establish a diagnosis or rule out a condition.

Score guide for Autism Spectrum Quotient — AQ

How scoring works

Each of the 50 items scores 0 or 1 according to the published key, producing a total from 0 to 50.

Published ranges or thresholds

The original study reported 32 as a screening threshold. It is not a diagnostic boundary.

What a higher score may indicate

A score at or above the original study threshold reflects more autistic traits reported in that study context; it is not a diagnosis.

What a lower score may indicate

A lower score does not rule out autism, particularly where item interpretation, compensation or context affects self-report.

Evidence and limitations

The Adult AQ was developed as a 50-item measure of autistic traits for people age 16 and older. The AQ does not evaluate developmental history, functional impact, information from other people or other possible explanations.

Screening vs assessment

A questionnaire is not a psychological assessment.

A questionnaire can help you notice patterns, but it does not diagnose, produce a psychological assessment report or replace professional evaluation. You do not need to complete one before requesting an assessment.

Compare screening and assessmentUse the Assessment Planner

When further support may be useful

If autistic traits, masking, sensory experiences or communication differences are important questions for you, a professional assessment can consider them in developmental and personal context.

Learn about autism assessmentRequest an Assessment

Frequently asked questions

Who is the Adult AQ for?

The Adult AQ is intended for people age 16 and older.

Does a score of 32 mean I am autistic?

No. The original study used 32 as a research threshold for a greater number of autistic traits, not as a standalone diagnosis.

Can masking affect how I answer?

It may. Consider both what others see and the effort or internal experience involved. The CAT-Q is a separate measure focused on camouflaging-related behaviours.

Source

Autism Research Centre — Adult AQ (opens in a new tab)

Copyright

© MRC-SBC/SJW.

Reference

Next step

Consider the result as one piece of information.

Explore BrainLab’s autism assessment or the CAT-Q camouflaging questionnaire.

Learn About Autism AssessmentUse the CAT-Q