Adult Autism Traits Screener (AQ-10) | Explore Online

What Is the AQ-10?

The AQ-10 is a 10-question short form of the 50-item Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ). It was developed by Carrie Allison, Bonnie Auyeung and Simon Baron-Cohen at the Autism Research Centre in Cambridge and published in 2012. The items were chosen from the full AQ because they best separated autistic adults from non-autistic adults in a large study sample.

In the UK, NICE guidance suggests clinicians consider the AQ-10 when an adult without a moderate or severe learning disability may be autistic. It is meant as a quick “should we look further?” check, not as a test that gives an answer.

How the Score Works

Each question earns one point when your answer leans toward the autistic-trait direction, whether that answer is “definitely” or “slightly”. The total runs from 0 to 10.

• 6 or more: the threshold most guidance uses for suggesting a referral for a full diagnostic assessment.
• Below 6: fewer of the traits this short list measures. This does not rule autism out.

What the AQ-10 Cannot Tell You

A short questionnaire is a starting point, and it has real limits:

• Low scores can miss autism. Research in adults referred to a diagnostic clinic found that a low AQ score did not reliably predict who would not be diagnosed (Ashwood et al., 2016).
• High scores are not specific. Social anxiety, ADHD, depression and some personality traits can raise the score too.
• Masking changes answers. Many adults, especially women, learn to hide or compensate for autistic traits. That can lower a self-report score. Read more about masking in adults and the CAT-Q camouflaging questionnaire.
• It is self-report. Answers depend on how you see yourself today. Someone who knows you well may answer differently.

What to Do With Your Result

If your score was 6 or more, or if you scored lower but the questions still felt familiar, a full assessment by a psychologist or psychiatrist is the only way to get a diagnosis. These guides can help with the next steps:

• How to get tested for autism as an adult
• Where to get tested in every US state
• What an adult autism assessment costs in 2026
• Self-identification and self-diagnosis in adults

Want a longer screener? The full 50-item AQ covers more areas and gives a more detailed picture, but it is also a screening tool rather than a diagnosis.

Sources

Allison C, Auyeung B, Baron-Cohen S. Toward brief “red flags” for autism screening: the short Autism Spectrum Quotient and the short Quantitative Checklist in 1,000 cases and 3,000 controls. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2012;51(2):202-212.
Ashwood KL, Gillan N, Horder J, et al. Predicting the diagnosis of autism in adults using the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) questionnaire. Psychol Med. 2016;46(12):2595-2604.
NICE. Autism spectrum disorder in adults: diagnosis and management (CG142).