Autism Spectrum Quotient – Brief (AQ-10)

Background / Development

The AQ-10 is the short form of the Autism Spectrum Quotient, developed by Baron-Cohen and colleagues at the University of Cambridge’s Autism Research Centre.

It was derived from the original AQ-50 to provide a rapid screening tool for identifying adults who may present with clinically significant autistic traits.

The brief version was introduced to support time-limited clinical and research contexts while maintaining the conceptual structure of the full measure.

Purpose / Intended Use

The AQ-10 is intended as a quick screening instrument for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) traits in adults.

It helps clinicians determine whether further, more comprehensive evaluation is warranted and is often used in primary care, mental-health intake, and research screening.

It is not diagnostic, but serves as an efficient first-line indicator of potential autism-spectrum characteristics.

Psychometric Properties

The AQ-10 was validated against the full AQ and formal diagnostic assessments (e.g., ADOS, ADI-R).

Although brief, it retains acceptable reliability and screening accuracy:

• Internal consistency: α ≈ 0.77
• Sensitivity: ~0.88
• Specificity: ~0.91
• Correlation with AQ-50: strong (r ≈ 0.93)

Its brevity makes it suitable for clinical triage while preserving validity relative to longer forms.

Structure and Content

The AQ-10 includes 10 self-report items, each rated on a 4-point Likert scale (Definitely agree to Definitely disagree).

Items sample the same five domains as the full AQ:

• Social communication
• Attention switching
• Attention to detail
• Imagination
• Tolerance of change

It typically requires under two minutes to complete and can be administered digitally or on paper.

Scoring and Interpretation

Each item is scored as 1 point when the response indicates the presence of an autistic-like trait, producing a total score from 0–10.

• Scores ≥6 suggest elevated likelihood of ASD traits and merit further assessment.
• Scores <6 fall within the typical range of variation.

Interpretation should always occur in conjunction with developmental history and clinical interview findings.

Clinical Application

The AQ-10 is most effective as a brief prescreen in adult autism evaluations, intake workflows, or large-scale research studies.

It is frequently paired with the full AQ or other standardized autism measures when a concise initial indicator is needed.

Its simplicity makes it well-suited for primary care referrals, mental-health screening, or electronic pre-assessment questionnaires.

References / Sources

Allison, C., Auyeung, B., & Baron-Cohen, S. (2012). Toward brief “red flags” for autism screening: The Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ-10). Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 51(2), 202–212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2011.11.014