CATI · 42Q · Standard screening questionnaire
Adult Autistic Traits
A 42-item measure of autistic traits, including social communication, sensory experiences and routines, to support further assessment.
Chinese questions are rendered in Traditional characters, preserving the source wording, item order and scoring. This script-converted presentation has not been separately validated in Taiwan.
Below is a list of statements relating to various personality traits, behaviours, and characteristics. Using the five response options select the option that best describes you. For items of a social nature, think about situations that do not involve very close friends or family members. Try not to spend too much time thinking about each choice.
Adult self-report · 42 items
Screening results can support a clinical conversation but cannot confirm or rule out a diagnosis on their own.
Higher scores indicate that you endorsed more autistic traits; the score does not diagnose or rule out autism. Social anxiety, attention difficulties and other experiences can overlap with these traits. If social communication, sensory differences or changes to routines affect your daily life, bring your responses to a clinician and discuss them alongside your developmental history.
I often find myself fiddling or playing repetitively with objects (e.g. clicking pens)
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
I like to stick to certain routines for every-day tasks
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
I expend a lot of mental energy trying to fit in with others
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
I am very sensitive to bright lighting
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
There are certain activities that I always choose to do the same way, every time
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
Sometimes I watch people interacting and try to copy them when I need to socialise
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
I often rock when sitting in a chair
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
I generally enjoy social events
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
I look for strategies and ways to appear more sociable
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
In social situations, I try to avoid interactions with other people
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
There are times when I feel that my senses are overloaded
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
There are certain objects that I fiddle or play with that can help me calm down or collect my thoughts
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
Reading non-verbal cues (e.g. facial expressions, body language) is difficult for me
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
I like my belongings to be sorted in certain ways and will spend time making sure they are that way
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
Social interaction is easy for me
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
When interacting with other people, I spend a lot of effort monitoring how I am coming across
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
I find social interactions stressful
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
I am very sensitive to touch
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
I can tell how people feel from their facial expressions
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
I have a tendency to pace or move around in a repetitive path
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
I feel discomfort when prevented from completing a particular routine
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
I rely on a set of scripts when I talk with people
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
I find it easy to sense what someone else is feeling
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
I am very sensitive to particular tastes (e.g. salty, sour, spicy, or sweet)
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
I engage in certain repetitive actions when I feel stressed
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
I rarely use non-verbal cues in my interactions with others
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
I often insist on doing things in a certain way, or re-doing things until they are ‘just right’
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
I feel confident or capable when meeting new people
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
Before engaging in a social situation, I will create a script to follow where possible
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
Social occasions are often challenging for me
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
Sometimes the presence of a smell makes it hard for me to focus on anything else
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
There are certain repetitive actions that others consider to be 'characteristic' of me (e.g. stroking my hair)
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
Metaphors or ‘figures of speech’ often confuse me
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
It annoys me when plans I have made are changed
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
I find it difficult to make new friends
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
I react strongly to unexpected loud noises
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
I have difficulty understanding someone else’s point-of-view
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
I like to arrange items in rows or patterns
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
I try to follow certain 'rules' in order to get by in social situations
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
I am sensitive to flickering lights
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
I have certain habits that I find difficult to stop (e.g. biting/tearing nails, pulling strands of hair)
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree
I have difficulty understanding the 'unspoken rules' of social situations
Definitely Disagree / Somewhat Disagree / Neither Agree nor Disagree / Somewhat Agree / Definitely Agree