Autistic Masking Test (CAT-Q)
Question 1 / 24
I observe how others behave in social situations and copy what they do.
I adjust my personality depending on who I am with, to fit in better.
I study the unwritten rules of a social group carefully before I feel able to join in.
I constantly analyze social situations to work out the rules that others seem to grasp automatically.
I mirror the expressions, posture or vocabulary of the people around me.
I pretend to be interested in topics others care about, to seem more like them.
I put a great deal of energy into trying to appear socially normal.
After a social event I replay what happened and think about how I could have acted more naturally.
I have prepared phrases or scripts that I use in common social situations.
I learn social rules from books, films or by observing others, because they do not come naturally to me.
I use humor or deflect with a joke when I am unsure how to respond socially.
I plan what I will say before entering a social situation.
I practice conversations or facial expressions in my head or in a mirror.
I use logical thinking to work out what people are feeling or wanting, because I do not just sense it.
I have developed personal workarounds for everyday social situations that others seem to handle effortlessly.
I prepare carefully for unpredictable social events because not knowing what to expect stresses me.
I stop myself from doing things that feel natural to me because they might look strange to others.
I hide or suppress body movements like rocking, tapping or fidgeting when around other people.
I pretend that social situations are easy for me, even when they are actually hard.
I push through sensory discomfort (noise, crowds, bright lights) without letting it show.
I suppress strong emotional or physical reactions to things that bother me, to appear calm.
I downplay or hide my intense interests because they might seem unusual or excessive to others.
I pretend to follow conversations or understand social situations better than I actually do.
In social situations, I feel like I am playing a role rather than being my true self.