The Adult Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ)
Ages 16+: Scoring Key
For full details, please see:
S. Baron-Cohen, S. Wheelwright, R. Skinner, J. Martin and E. Clubley, (2001)
The Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) : Evidence from Asperger Syndrome/High
Functioning Autism, Males and Females, Scientists and Mathematicians
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 31:5-17
Responses that score 1 point are marked. Other responses score 0. For total score, sum all
items.
definitely slightly slightly definitely
agree agree disagree disagree
1. I prefer to do things with others rather than on 1 1
my own.
2. I prefer to do things the same way over and over 1 1
again.
3. If I try to imagine something, I find it very easy 1 1
to create a picture in my mind.
4. I frequently get so strongly absorbed in one 1 1
thing that I lose sight of other things.
5. I often notice small sounds when others do not. 1 1
6. I usually notice car number plates or similar 1 1
strings of information.
7. Other people frequently tell me that what I’ve 1 1
said is impolite, even though I think it is polite.
8. When I’m reading a story, I can easily imagine 1 1
what the characters might look like.
9. I am fascinated by dates. 1 1
10. In a social group, I can easily keep track of 1 1
several different people’s conversations.
11. I find social situations easy. 1 1
12. I tend to notice details that others do not. 1 1
definitely slightly slightly definitely
agree agree disagree disagree
13. I would rather go to a library than a party. 1 1
14. I find making up stories easy. 1 1
15. I find myself drawn more strongly to people 1 1
than to things.
16. I tend to have very strong interests which I get 1 1
upset about if I can’t pursue.
17. I enjoy social chit-chat. 1 1
18. When I talk, it isn’t always easy for others to get 1 1
a word in edgeways.
19. I am fascinated by numbers. 1 1
20. When I’m reading a story, I find it difficult to 1 1
work out the characters’ intentions.
21. I don’t particularly enjoy reading fiction. 1 1
22. I find it hard to make new friends. 1 1
23. I notice patterns in things all the time. 1 1
24. I would rather go to the theatre than a museum. 1 1
25. It does not upset me if my daily routine is 1 1
disturbed.
26. I frequently find that I don’t know how to keep a 1 1
conversation going.
27. I find it easy to “read between the lines” when 1 1
someone is talking to me.
28. I usually concentrate more on the whole picture, 1 1
rather than the small details.
29. I am not very good at remembering phone 1 1
numbers.
30. I don’t usually notice small changes in a 1 1
situation, or a person’s appearance.
31. I know how to tell if someone listening to me is 1 1
getting bored.
32. I find it easy to do more than one thing at once. 1 1
definitely slightly slightly definitely
agree agree disagree disagree
33. When I talk on the phone, I’m not sure when it’s 1 1
my turn to speak.
34. I enjoy doing things spontaneously. 1 1
35. I am often the last to understand the point of a 1 1
joke.
36. I find it easy to work out what someone is 1 1
thinking or feeling just by looking at their face.
37. If there is an interruption, I can switch back to 1 1
what I was doing very quickly.
38. I am good at social chit-chat. 1 1
39. People often tell me that I keep going on and on 1 1
about the same thing.
40. When I was young, I used to enjoy playing 1 1
games involving pretending with other children.
41. I like to collect information about categories of 1 1
things (e.g. types of car, types of bird, types of
train, types of plant, etc.).
42. I find it difficult to imagine what it would be 1 1
like to be someone else.
43. I like to plan any activities I participate in 1 1
carefully.
44. I enjoy social occasions. 1 1
45. I find it difficult to work out people’s intentions. 1 1
46. New situations make me anxious. 1 1
47. I enjoy meeting new people. 1 1
48. I am a good diplomat. 1 1
49. I am not very good at remembering people’s 1 1
date of birth.
50. I find it very easy to play games with children 1 1
that involve pretending.
MRC-SBC/SJW Apr 2007
