Clinician or parent? Hand your device over with the score hidden, or send the test to their phone.
10 questions · about 2 minutes
For each one, pick the answer that fits you best. There are no right or wrong answers.
Your answers stay on this device. Nothing is saved or sent unless you choose to email the results. This screening tool is for educational and self-awareness purposes only. It does not constitute a clinical diagnosis. A comprehensive evaluation by a qualified professional is required for an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis.
- Questions
- 10
- Time
- 2 min
- Looks back over
- No set period
- Score range
- 0–10
- Cost
- Free
What the AQ-10 measures
- Social skills
- Attention switching
- Attention to detail
- Communication
- Imagination
About the AQ-10
The Autism Spectrum Quotient – 10 items (AQ-10) is a brief screening tool developed by Allison, Auyeung, and Baron-Cohen at the Autism Research Centre, University of Cambridge. It was designed as a quick "red flag" screening instrument to identify adults who may benefit from a comprehensive autism assessment.
The AQ-10 was derived from the longer 50-item Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) questionnaire. Through statistical analysis of over 1,000 cases and 3,000 controls, the researchers identified the 10 most discriminating items that effectively differentiate between autistic and non-autistic individuals.
Importantly, the AQ-10 is a screening tool only — it is not designed to provide a diagnosis. A score of 6 or above suggests that a comprehensive autism assessment may be warranted. The tool has been validated across multiple languages and cultural contexts.
How the AQ-10 is scored
- Every question offers the same answers, but some are reverse-scored: the same answer adds a point on one question and nothing on another, so it is the pattern of answers that counts, not how far along the scale each one sits.
- The answers are added together for a total from 0 to 10.
AQ-10 score ranges
The ranges this quiz uses to label a score. They describe where a score falls, not a diagnosis.
| Result | Score |
|---|---|
| Low ASD Traits | 0–2 |
| Some ASD Traits | 3–5 |
| Above Screening Threshold | 6–8 |
| Significant ASD Traits | 9–10 |
How to read the results
- It is a snapshot, not a diagnosis. A label only says where a score falls compared with the people the questionnaire was tested on. A word like "mild" does not mean a mild disorder.
- Look at the answers, not only the total. Which questions scored highest often says more about what to work on than the number does.
- Compare with yourself over time. Taking it again in a few weeks, or after starting therapy, shows whether things are moving. Compare each score with your own earlier one, not with someone else's.
- Talk it through. A clinician will ask what no questionnaire can: how long it has been like this, what else is going on, and how much it gets in the way.
The AQ-10 compared with similar tests
Using the AQ-10 with clients
- Baseline, then repeat. Give it at intake, then at regular intervals, and compare each score with the client's own earlier ones to see whether treatment is working.
- Hand to client. Give it on your own device in session. The questions fill the screen with nothing else on it, and the scores stay hidden until you take the device back and press Show results.
- Send to someone. Send a link before the session by text or email. Tick "Ask for a copy of their results" and their results page offers to email you their score. They decide whether to send it. Your address travels in the link itself and never reaches our servers.
- Copy summary and Print. The results screen copies a one-line summary for the session note, or prints the results on their own.
- Nothing is stored. Answers stay in the browser. Results leave it only when someone chooses to email them, and that email is not kept.
- Billing. Giving and scoring a standardized instrument like the AQ-10 is commonly billed as CPT 96127, one unit per instrument. Payers set their own limits, so check before relying on it.
Diagnosis codes often documented for this concern
For reference only. A screening score is not a diagnosis, and none of these follows from a score on its own.
- F84.0 Autism Spectrum Disorder
Where to go from here
- Individual Counseling at Crown Counseling · in Brooklyn and online across New York
- Free resources for therapists
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the AQ-10 measure?+
The AQ-10 measures traits associated with autism spectrum disorder across domains including social skills, attention switching, attention to detail, communication, and imagination. It was designed as a brief 'red flag' screening tool.
What score indicates possible autism?+
A score of 6 or above on the AQ-10 is considered the screening threshold. This means a comprehensive autism assessment may be warranted. However, the AQ-10 alone cannot diagnose autism.
Is the AQ-10 a diagnostic test?+
No. The AQ-10 is a screening tool only. A formal autism diagnosis requires a comprehensive evaluation by a qualified professional, which typically includes developmental history, behavioral observation, and standardized diagnostic instruments.
Are my responses stored?+
No. All responses remain completely private and local to your browser. No data is collected, stored, or transmitted to any server.
References
- 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.
- Baron-Cohen S, Wheelwright S, Skinner R, Martin J, Clubley E. The Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ): Evidence from Asperger syndrome/high-functioning autism, males and females, scientists and mathematicians. J Autism Dev Disord. 2001;31(1):5-17.
- Booth T, Murray AL, McKenzie K, Kuenssberg R, O'Donnell M, Burnett H. Brief report: An evaluation of the AQ-10 as a brief screening instrument for ASD in adults. J Autism Dev Disord. 2013;43(12):2997-3000.