Validated tests,
with context.
These are the psychometric tools used in the identification of autism, ADHD, and related profiles in adults — particularly women, who are systematically underdiagnosed. Each test is presented with scoring guides, interpretation notes, and links to the original research paper. In both ☀ Clear and ☾ Precise versions.
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01RAADS–R
The Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale – Revised. One of the most widely used self-report screening tools for autism in adults. 80 items across four domains: language, social relatedness, sensory-motor, and circumscribed interests.
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02CAT-Q
The Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire. Measures masking, assimilation, and compensation — the strategies many autistic women use to appear neurotypical, often at great personal cost.
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03AQ — Autism Spectrum Quotient
Developed by Simon Baron-Cohen. A 50-item questionnaire measuring autistic traits in adults of average intelligence. Widely used as an initial screening tool.
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04AQ-10
The short form of the AQ. 10 items, used as a quick clinical screening tool. Often the first test a GP or psychiatrist will administer.
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05EQ — Empathy Quotient
Measures cognitive empathy and social skills. Often misunderstood in the context of autism — low EQ scores reflect a different style of empathy, not an absence of it.
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06SQ-R — Systemizing Quotient
Measures the drive to analyse and build systems. Often elevated in autistic people. A counterpart to the EQ that reframes “autistic thinking” as a strength.
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07RMET — Reading the Mind in the Eyes
A performance-based test (not self-report) that measures the ability to infer emotional states from photographs of eyes. Useful context for understanding social cognition differences.
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08More tests being added
Including tools for ADHD, alexithymia, sensory processing, and twice-exceptionality (giftedness + neurodivergence). This list will grow.
⚠ These tests are screening tools, not diagnostic instruments. A high score does not constitute a diagnosis — it means further exploration may be worthwhile. A low score does not rule out neurodivergence, particularly for women, who are systematically underscored on tools designed and validated on male populations. Use these as a starting point, not a verdict.