In brief. The AQ-10 is a ten-item adult autism screen developed at the Autism Research Centre in Cambridge in 2012 as a short version of the 50-item Autism Spectrum Quotient. A score of six or more suggests assessment is worth considering. It is quick, widely used, and known to under-identify women and adults who mask.
What the AQ-10 asks
The ten items cover attention to detail, attention switching, communication, imagination and social skill: noticing small sounds others miss, finding it hard to read intentions, preferring to do things the same way, difficulty working out what someone is thinking from their face, finding it easy or hard to keep up with a group conversation.
Each item is rated from definitely agree to definitely disagree and scored as one or zero depending on direction. Total scores range from zero to ten.
Two questions to start
Take the full self-testWHO adult ADHD screener. Scored on your device. A screen is not a diagnosis.
Scoring and cut-off
A score of six or above is the recommended threshold for referral for assessment. In the original study the AQ-10 identified most autistic adults in a clinical sample while keeping false positives modest, and it has since been adopted in several countries' referral pathways.
Where it falls short
The AQ-10 was validated largely on people already diagnosed under older criteria, most of them men. It asks about observable behaviour and self-perceived skill, which people who mask have spent decades learning to perform. Many late-diagnosed autistic women score below six. For that reason, clinicians increasingly pair it with the RAADS-R, which asks about lifetime experience, and the CAT-Q, which measures camouflaging directly.
What a high score means
That an assessment with a clinician experienced in adult autism is reasonable. It does not mean you are autistic. ADHD, social anxiety and trauma can all raise the score. A low score does not mean you are not autistic, especially if you recognise yourself in descriptions of masked or female presentations.
Take it here
Our free autism self-test offers the AQ-10 and the longer RAADS-R, both scored on your device. Nothing is stored unless you choose to email yourself the result.
Get matched to a therapist.
A short questionnaire, then a practitioner who understands neurodivergence. Per session with your rebate lodged, or a weekly plan.
Frequently asked questions
Is the AQ-10 a diagnosis?
No. It is a screen designed to help decide whether to seek assessment.
Why do I score low but still think I am autistic?
The AQ-10 misses masked presentations. Try the RAADS-R and the CAT-Q, and read about autism in women and in adults; if the descriptions fit, that is a better guide than one short scale.
Can the AQ-10 tell autism from ADHD?
No. Both can raise the score. Assessment considers the two together.
Does a GP need my AQ-10 score?
Not formally, but bringing it along with a written summary of why you suspect autism helps a GP make a referral.
Sources and review
Last updated 2026-09-14.