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 screen
- Parent instrument
- Autism Spectrum Quotient
- Respondent
- Adult self-report
- Typical use
- Referral discussion support
- 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
Published scoring for the ten-item screen exists in the source literature. This page does not independently verify a cutoff. Follow the official form and your service's referral protocol.
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.