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Autism Spectrum Quotient

Published: March 30, 2020
Last updated on May 18, 2026
Contents

Many autistic adults come across the AQ when they’re trying to understand patterns in themselves that have always felt hard to explain.

They might be wondering:

  • Why do I feel out of sync socially, even when I try to do everything “right”?
  • Why do I process things differently from the people around me?
  • Could this be autism?

The AQ is one way to begin exploring those questions. It’s a short self-report questionnaire designed to measure autistic traits in adults, especially those who may have been missed earlier in life.

This version is based on the original AQ questionnaire used in research and clinical settings.

Basic information
Who it’s for: Adults (16+) exploring whether autistic traits may relate to their experiences.
Length: 10–30 minutes
Statements: 50
Purpose: To measure self-reported patterns of autistic traits across multiple areas of thinking, communication, attention, and behaviour.

Notes on answering the questions

A few things to keep in mind:

  • The AQ was originally developed as a research screening tool, not specifically for self-interpretation or high-masking adults
  • Some questions may feel unclear, overly broad, or simplified
  • If your answer feels like “it depends,” choose what is most typical for you
  • You may notice yourself interpreting questions very literally; that’s okay—answer based on how you understand the question
  • Try to answer based on your internal experience, not just how you appear to others
  • The AQ uses forced-choice answers (agree/disagree), which can feel limiting if your experience is more nuanced
  • Some questions reflect earlier models of autism and may not fully capture masking, burnout, or late identification
  • Self-report tools are not diagnostic on their own, but research suggests they can still be useful as part of exploring autistic traits and experiences.

 

Take the test:

This test is free, anonymous, and requires
no email sign-up for the results

The AQ

Please read each statement and choose the answer that best fits your typical experience.

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.
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.

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Getting your score is free and anonymous
You can download the PDF if you like

What do my scores mean?

Score rangeInterpretation
0–25What to do next: If you still relate to autistic experiences, you may want to explore other factors (e.g., masking, burnout, depression) or conditions that often co-occur and show some overlap in traits (e.g., ADHD, OCD,[1]Autistic traits predict obsessive-compulsive symptoms: Study in a clinical sample (Pinto-Gouveia et al., 2021)[2]The prevalence of autism spectrum traits and autism spectrum disorders in children and adolescents with obsessive compulsive disorder: systematic review and meta-analysis (Tiley et al., 2026) Social Anxiety Disorder[3]The Relationship Between Autistic Traits and Social Anxiety, Worry, Obsessive–Compulsive, and Depressive Symptoms: Specific and Non-specific Mediators in a Student Sample (Liew et al., 2014)) or take additional screeners (e.g., RAADS–R, CAT-Q).
26–31Some autistic traits are present. These may show up in certain situations or environments. ~20% of autistic individuals scored less than 32

What to do next: This range often overlaps with anxiety, ADHD, or masking. Exploring patterns more deeply can help clarify what fits best.
32–39Your responses suggest a strong pattern of autistic traits. These traits are present across multiple areas. In the original validation work, around 80% of autistic participants scored 32 or higher, but later studies show cutoffs vary by sample and setting.

What to do next: Many people in this range explore further through additional tests (e.g., RAADS–R, CAT-Q) or a diagnostic assessment.
40+Very strong alignment with autistic traits.

What to do next: Many people in this range pursue deeper exploration (e.g., RAADS–R, CAT-Q) or a diagnostic assessment to better understand their experiences.

Understanding your AQ score

Based on Simon Baron-Cohen’s proposed model, your score reflects patterns across five areas:[4]The Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ): Evidence from Asperger Syndrome/High-Functioning Autism, Males and Females, Scientists and Mathematicians (Baron-Cohen et al., 2001)

FactorMeaning
Social skill
How comfortable and confident you feel in social situations, including:

  • Feeling unsure what to say or do in conversations

  • Preferring time alone over social interaction

  • Finding social situations draining or difficult to navigate
Attention switching
How easily you adapt to change and shift focus, including:

  • Difficulty switching between tasks

  • Preferring routines and predictability

  • Feeling unsettled by unexpected changes
Attention
to detail
How strongly you notice patterns and small details, including:

  • Focusing on details others may miss

  • Noticing patterns, numbers, or specific features

  • Becoming absorbed in parts rather than the whole
Communication
How you interpret and use language, including:

  • Taking things literally

  • Finding it harder to read between the lines

  • Missing implied meaning, tone, or sarcasm
Imagination
How you think about hypothetical or abstract situations, including:

  • Preferring concrete or factual information

  • Finding it harder to imagine others’ perspectives

  • Differences in imagining hypothetical situations, social scenarios, or other people’s perspectivesf

Subsequent research has found support for these domains, but alternative factor models have been proposed, some of which provide a better fit. We will discuss these in an upcoming post where we will explore recent research studies in more depth.

How to interpret your score

This test is not a diagnosis and cannot determine whether you are autistic. It reflects patterns in your responses, not your full life experience.

  • Some autistic people score below 32
  • Some non-autistic people score above it

The AQ is best understood as a starting point, not an answer.

If you would like help understanding your results in more depth, our Autism Screening Assessment includes:

• Clinical interpretation by a licensed psychologist
• A detailed 25+ page report
• Guidance on whether your profile aligns with autistic traits
• Information about what a full assessment may add

Autism Screening Assessment

Limitations of the AQ

The AQ is widely used, but it has some known limitations:

  • It does not directly measure camouflaging or masking
  • Some late-identified or high-masking autistic adults may score lower than expected
  • AQ scores can also be influenced by ADHD, anxiety, burnout, trauma, and other overlapping experiences.
  • Cutoff scores vary across studies. Traditional AQ research used 32+ as a common cutoff, but later studies show that cutoffs vary across samples. Some autistic adults score below 32, and some non-autistic people score above it. A lower score does not rule out autism, especially when masking, burnout, ADHD, anxiety, trauma, or literal interpretation affects how someone answers.

Because of this, the AQ works best when combined with other tools.

Recommended next steps

After the AQ, consider taking one of the tests below.

RAADS-R

Often used to explore autistic traits in adults

who may have been missed earlier in life

CAT-Q

Measures camouflaging, and can account
for lower scores on other autism tests

Autism Screening Assessment

25+ page report • Clinical interpretation by an autistic psychologist

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References

 

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Although our content is generally well-researched
and substantiated, or based on personal experience,
note that it does not constitute medical advice.

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Land acknowledgement

Embrace Autism recognizes and acknowledges the traditional lands of the Indigenous peoples across Ontario. From the lands of the Anishinaabe to the Attawandaron and Haudenosaunee, these lands surrounding the Great Lakes are steeped in First Nations history. We are in solidarity with Indigenous brothers and sisters to honour and respect Mother Earth. We acknowledge and give gratitude for the wisdom of the Grandfathers and the four winds that carry the spirits of our ancestors that walked this land before us. Embrace Autism is located on the Treaty Lands and Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit. We acknowledge and thank the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation—the Treaty holders—for being stewards of this traditional territory.

A First Nations symbol, consisting of a Sun surrounded by four Eagle feathers.
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