Autism Spectrum Quotient - 10 item
AQ-10 is a 10-item adult screen derived from the Autism Spectrum Quotient. This page is for clinics. It is not a diagnosis and not a public test.
Overview
What is the AQ-10?
AQ-10 is a short screen used in some referral pathways to decide whether a fuller autism assessment should be discussed. It is not a complete AQ and not a specialist diagnostic instrument.
Development and clinical use
Allison, Auyeung and Baron-Cohen described AQ-10 as a brief screen. Some health systems later referenced it in referral guidance. Local pathway rules still determine whether and how it is used.
- Source instrument
- 10-item adult screen
- Parent instrument
- Autism Spectrum Quotient
- Respondent
- Adult self-report
- Total range
- 0 to 10, band at 6
- Not ADOS-2
- No observation
- Clinical role
- Screening support
Administration
A focused client experience
Adults complete ten statements. A clinician or pathway protocol decides what happens next. This page does not make referral decisions.
- One question at a time with visible progress
- Large keyboard-operable response choices
- Previous, next, and answer-review steps
- Clear confirmation that results go to the clinic
The illustration does not reproduce AQ-10 statements.
Report showcase
Designed to make evidence easy to review
The downloadable synthetic example illustrates report layout using invented response patterns, without patient data or instrument questions.
- Named instrument, version, and provenance
- Item-level response pattern without source wording
- Methodology, references, and clinical boundary
- Responsible clinician review rather than automated conclusions
Clinician review required
Methodology
Understand the measure and its scoring conventions
Each item is Definitely Agree, Slightly Agree, Slightly Disagree or Definitely Disagree. Definitely or Slightly Agree scores 1 on items 1, 7, 8 and 10. Definitely or Slightly Disagree scores 1 on items 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 9. The total runs from 0 to 10. Bands are Below 6 and 6 or above.
References
- AQ-10 paperAllison C, Auyeung B, Baron-Cohen S. Toward brief 'red flags' for autism screening. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2012;51(2):202-212.e7.
Questions
What clinics ask before they evaluate the AQ-10
These answers stay inside educational catalogue scope. They do not replace official manuals or clinician judgement.
Is AQ-10 enough for an autism assessment?
No. It is a brief screen. Specialist assessment uses different instruments and clinical judgement.
Is AQ-10 the same as the full AQ?
No. It is a short derivative. Do not mix scoring conventions across forms.
Can I complete AQ-10 here?
No. This page does not collect answers.
Does a low score rule out autism?
No. Screening instruments miss some people. Clinical concern can still justify specialist assessment.