AQ-10 Sample Items

AQ-10 Sample Questions

The AQ-10 is the 10-item adult autism screening developed by Allison, Auyeung & Baron-Cohen (2012). Below are example items in the format the test uses, with scoring explanations. The AQ-10 is freely available for clinical and research use.

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Sample Questions

1. I often notice small sounds when others do not.
Answer: Definitely Agree (scored 1)
Items 1, 7, 8, 10 score 1 if you 'definitely agree' or 'slightly agree'. This item is in the Sensory-Perception domain and probes sensitivity to fine sound detail.
2. I usually concentrate more on the whole picture, rather than the small details.
Answer: Definitely Disagree (scored 1)
Items 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 score 1 if you 'definitely disagree' or 'slightly disagree'. Disagreeing with this item suggests detail-focused attention — characteristic of autistic cognitive style.
3. I find it easy to do more than one thing at once.
Answer: Definitely Disagree (scored 1)
Disagreement scores 1. This probes executive function and task-switching, often more difficult for autistic adults.
4. If there is an interruption, I can switch back to what I was doing very quickly.
Answer: Definitely Disagree (scored 1)
Disagreement scores 1. Probes flexibility and recovery from disruption.
5. I find it easy to 'read between the lines' when someone is talking to me.
Answer: Definitely Disagree (scored 1)
Disagreement scores 1. Probes social cognition — inference of unstated meaning.
6. I know how to tell if someone listening to me is getting bored.
Answer: Definitely Disagree (scored 1)
Disagreement scores 1. Probes mentalizing — reading social signals from others.
7. When I'm reading a story, I find it difficult to work out the characters' intentions.
Answer: Definitely Agree (scored 1)
Agreement scores 1. Probes theory-of-mind in fiction.
8. I like to collect information about categories of things (e.g. types of car, types of bird, types of train, types of plant, etc.).
Answer: Definitely Agree (scored 1)
Agreement scores 1. Probes restricted/repetitive interests — a core autism criterion.
9. I find it easy to work out what someone is thinking or feeling just by looking at their face.
Answer: Definitely Disagree (scored 1)
Disagreement scores 1. Probes facial-affect recognition.
10. I find it difficult to work out people's intentions.
Answer: Definitely Agree (scored 1)
Agreement scores 1. Probes social-pragmatic understanding.

How It's Scored

Total score ranges 0–10. Each of the 10 items contributes 0 or 1. Items 1, 7, 8, 10 score 1 if you 'definitely agree' or 'slightly agree'; items 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 score 1 if you 'definitely disagree' or 'slightly disagree'. A score of 6 or higher is the cut-off for considering further specialist autism assessment, with sensitivity 88% and specificity 91% in the original validation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a high score on the AQ-10?

A score of 6 or higher out of 10 is the recommended cut-off for considering a specialist autism assessment. In the original validation this threshold had 88% sensitivity and 91% specificity.

Is the AQ-10 a diagnostic test?

No. The AQ-10 is a screening questionnaire only. A formal autism diagnosis requires a comprehensive evaluation by a qualified clinician, typically using instruments such as the ADOS-2 or ADI-R alongside a clinical interview.

How long does the AQ-10 take?

About 2–3 minutes. It has 10 statements answered on a 4-point agree–disagree scale, which makes it one of the fastest validated autism screens for adults.

Who developed the AQ-10?

Allison, Auyeung and Baron-Cohen published the AQ-10 in 2012 as a short form of the original 50-item Autism-Spectrum Quotient developed at the University of Cambridge.

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