Why a profile and not a score?
Autism isn't a slider that runs from “less autistic” to “more autistic.” Researchers who map autism symptoms find that it looks more like a profile: many separate traits that vary independently from person to person. Scientific American recently illustrated this idea using the Autism Symptom Dimensions Questionnaire (ASDQ), a 39-item research measure built by Frazier and colleagues. You can read the article here.
This tool borrows that idea, so you'll see six areas and no total score. The statements are my own wording. It is not the ASDQ, which is designed for parents, caregivers, or clinicians rating a child, and it hasn't been validated as a screening or diagnostic tool.
How it works
- For adults 18 and older, answering about themselves.
- 24 statements, about 5 minutes. You rate how much each one sounds like you.
- Enter your name and email so your profile can be sent to you.
- Your profile shows how strongly each area resonates for you (“Rarely” to “Strongly”), plus a note on what else commonly causes that experience.
- A copy of each submission also comes to me (Braden) so I can follow up if you reach out. Because this topic is personal, please read the Privacy Policy first.
A note on what this is — and isn't
Every area in this tool is also common in people who aren't autistic. Sensory sensitivity, a need for routine, intense interests, and social exhaustion all show up in ADHD, anxiety, trauma, and ordinary human variation. Many autistic traits aren't problems to fix, either — they're just differences. A high result here does not mean you're autistic, and a low one does not rule anything out.
I'm a coach, not a clinician. If these experiences are affecting your daily life and you want a real answer, the right next step is an evaluation by a qualified professional who has experience assessing autism in adults. Many people find it helpful to bring the profile from this tool, or the results of a free screener, to that conversation.
Want a more established screener?
These are run by other organizations. Like this tool, they are screeners, not diagnoses, and they're meant as a starting point for a conversation with a professional.
- RAADS-R online (Embrace Autism) — a longer self-report questionnaire written for adults who have felt different for much of their lives. The test and overall score are free.
- Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) tests — Cambridge Autism Research Centre — short questionnaires from the University of Cambridge. Free for non-profit use; check their page for which version fits you.
Looking for more on ADHD and autism together? See the ADHD + Autism Resources page and the DSM-5 Criteria overview.