AQ-10: a 3-minute autism screen
The AQ-10 is a shortened version of the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) developed by Simon Baron-Cohen and colleagues at the University of Cambridge. It measures autistic traits in adults.
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🔬 Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ-10)
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What is the AQ-10?
The AQ-10 is the 10-question short form of the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), the questionnaire on autistic traits developed by Simon Baron-Cohen and his team at the Autism Research Centre, University of Cambridge. Carrie Allison, Bonnie Auyeung and Simon Baron-Cohen (2012) picked these 10 questions from the 50 of the full AQ, in a validation study involving more than 1,000 autistic people and 3,000 controls without an autism diagnosis, across all age groups. In the United Kingdom, NICE (the body that issues clinical guidelines) recommends considering the AQ-10 as a first step for adults who may be autistic and do not have a moderate or severe learning disability. This adult version is meant for people aged 16 and over.
How is the score calculated?
Each question scores 1 point when your answer points towards an autistic trait, whether you agree slightly or definitely (or disagree, depending on the question). The score therefore ranges from 0 to 10. From a score of 6, NICE recommends offering a specialist autism assessment. A score below 6 does not rule out autism: in a study of adults already referred to a specialist clinic, nearly two thirds of those who scored below 6 were in fact diagnosed autistic (Ashwood et al., 2016). NICE also advises an assessment with a lower score when a clinician suspects autism from your history. On this site, each answer is weighted from 0 to 3 according to how strongly it applies, so your result is shown out of 30 in three levels, rather than out of 10 as in the published version.
What is autism?
Autism (or Autism Spectrum Disorder, ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterised by differences in social communication and repetitive or restricted patterns of behaviour. Autism is a spectrum — every autistic person is unique. Many autistic adults are only diagnosed in adulthood, often after decades of developing social masking strategies that conceal autistic traits. Autistic women and high-achieving individuals are particularly vulnerable to late diagnosis.
Common autistic traits in adults
Autistic traits in adults may include: difficulty decoding social subtext and implied meaning, sensory sensitivities (sounds, lights, textures), intense and specific interests, need for routines and predictability, intense social fatigue after interactions, difficulty maintaining natural eye contact, and a tendency to interpret language literally. Many autistic people also experience alexithymia — difficulty identifying one's own emotions.
Frequently asked questions
Can the AQ-10 diagnose autism?
No. The AQ-10 is a screening tool: it tells you whether a specialist assessment is worth considering. In the original study it separated autistic people from controls well, but among adults already referred to a specialist clinic, its ability to predict the diagnosis was much more modest (Ashwood et al., 2016). Only a trained professional, such as a psychiatrist, a clinical psychologist or a specialist autism assessment service, can make a diagnosis.
What should I do if my result is high?
If your result is high, a specialist assessment is worth discussing: on the published version, NICE recommends one from a score of 6 out of 10. You can talk to your GP or family doctor, who can refer you to a psychiatrist, a psychologist or a specialist autism assessment service. Jot down a few concrete examples from your daily life and your childhood: they help a lot at the first appointment.
What is the difference between the AQ-10 and the AQ-50?
The AQ-50 is the full version (Baron-Cohen et al., 2001): 50 questions covering 5 areas (social skill, attention switching, attention to detail, communication and imagination), with a threshold of 32 out of 50. The AQ-10 keeps 10 of those questions for a quick screen. If you would like a more detailed profile, you can take the AQ-50 on this site.
Is the test free?
Yes. You answer the 10 questions and see your score straight away, without creating an account. A detailed report is offered afterwards, only if you want it.
How long does it take?
About 3 minutes. Answer according to how you usually are, not how you feel on one particular day.
Sources
- Allison C., Auyeung B., Baron-Cohen S. (2012). Toward brief "red flags" for autism screening: the Short Autism Spectrum Quotient and the Short Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers in 1,000 cases and 3,000 controls. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 51(2), 202-212.
- Baron-Cohen S., Wheelwright S., Skinner R., Martin J., Clubley E. (2001). The Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ): evidence from Asperger syndrome/high-functioning autism, males and females, scientists and mathematicians. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 31(1), 5-17.
- NICE, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2012, updated 2021). Autism spectrum disorder in adults: diagnosis and management. Clinical guideline CG142.
- Ashwood K. L. et al. (2016). Predicting the diagnosis of autism in adults using the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) questionnaire. Psychological Medicine, 46(12), 2595-2604.
Last updated · Written by Jérôme Stéphan · A screening tool, not a diagnosis.