Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ-10 and AQ-50) Scorer

What it measures

The Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) is a self-report screening instrument developed by Baron-Cohen and colleagues (2001) at the Autism Research Centre, University of Cambridge. The tool offers two versions. The AQ-10 is a brief 10-item screener for identifying adults who may benefit from a full autism evaluation. The AQ-50 is the full 50-item questionnaire covering five domains: social skills, attention switching, attention to detail, communication and imagination. The AQ is a screening instrument, not a diagnostic tool. Elevated scores call for a formal diagnostic evaluation using DSM-5 criteria and clinical interview.

Items and scoring

Each statement is answered Definitely Agree, Slightly Agree, Slightly Disagree or Definitely Disagree. Each item scores 0 or 1. For some items either "agree" response scores 1; for reverse-keyed items either "disagree" response scores 1. The form labels the scoring direction next to each item. Higher totals indicate more autistic traits. In the AQ-50, each of the five domains has 10 items and gets its own subscore out of 10, shown as numbers and a bar chart.

Version	Score	Result shown
AQ-10	0–5	Low: few autistic traits endorsed
AQ-10	6–10	Elevated: consider referral for a comprehensive autism evaluation
AQ-50	0–25	Low: non-significant autistic traits
AQ-50	26–31	Borderline/Elevated: above-average autistic traits; consider further evaluation
AQ-50	32–50	Clinically significant: formal evaluation recommended

A progress counter shows how many items have been answered. Unanswered items score 0, so complete every item before interpreting the total.

What the report includes

Generate Report copies a plain-text summary with the date, the version used, the total score and result, the five domain subscores (AQ-50 only), every item with the response selected and a check mark on items that scored a point, and the interpretation statement. Print buttons produce blank AQ-10 and AQ-50 forms for patients to complete on paper.

Limitations

The AQ relies on self-report and on the patient's insight into their own social and cognitive style. Results should be read within a full clinical assessment, not used alone to make or rule out a diagnosis. The source paper is Baron-Cohen S, Wheelwright S, Skinner R, Martin J, Clubley E. The Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ). J Autism Dev Disord. 2001;31(1):5-17.