Free Autism Test for Teens, Ages 12 to 20
The AQ-10 is a free, ten-question screening tool for autistic traits in teenagers and young adults. There are two official versions: a parent answers for ages 12 to 15, and the teen answers for themselves from 16 to 20.
This test is for ages 12 to 20. For a younger child, take the CAST screener instead.
Take the free autism test for teens
Answer ten short questions about how things usually are. It takes about two minutes, and you get the score right away.
Your responses are private and are used only to share your results and next steps. The AQ-10 is a screening tool, not a diagnosis.
AQ-10 © SBC/CA/BA/ARC/Cambridge University. Recommended in NICE clinical guideline CG142.
What happens after you submit
You see the score and what it means right away
about next steps if you would like to
The Alpaca Health care team reviews every response and follows up to talk through next steps
What the AQ-10 looks at
The AQ-10 is a short form of the Autism Spectrum Quotient. Ten items are too few to score separate trait areas well, so it gives you one total out of ten instead.
The questions come from the five areas the full Autism Spectrum Quotient measures.
Social skill
How easy it is to make friends, join conversations, and read a group.
Communication
Keeping a conversation going, and telling when someone has lost interest.
Imagination
Picturing what another person is thinking, or following a character through a story.
Attention switching
Returning to a task after an interruption, or doing two things at once.
Attention to detail
Noticing patterns, small sounds, and details other people walk past.
Who should complete each version
For ages 12 to 15, a parent or carer answers about their teenager. For ages 16 to 20, the teen or young adult answers for themselves. Both versions were built for people who do not have a learning disability. If your teen has an intellectual disability, ask a clinician to guide the screening instead.
Tips for accurate answers
Answer for what is usually true. Think about the ordinary week, not the worst day or the best one.
There are no right answers. If an item nearly fits, pick the closer of the two agree or disagree options.
Finish in one sitting. It takes about two minutes, and partial answers cannot be scored.
Where the AQ-10 comes from
The Autism Spectrum Quotient was developed by Simon Baron-Cohen and colleagues at the Autism Research Centre, University of Cambridge. Allison, Auyeung and Baron-Cohen published the ten-item short form in 2012 in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. The United Kingdom's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommends it in clinical guideline CG142 as a way for non-specialists to decide whether to refer someone for a full assessment.
It was built to answer one question, which is whether a full assessment is worth doing, and it was never built to diagnose anyone. For how the steps fit together, read our autism evaluation guide, or browse more autism screening resources.
Photo by Michelle Chadwick (Pexels)
Signs that lead families to screen a teenager
Autism in a teenager rarely looks the way it looks in a toddler. These are the signs that most often bring families to a screening at this age.
Ages 12 to 13
Struggles with a bigger, less predictable school day
Needs time alone after school to recover
Finds group work and unwritten social rules confusing
Takes language literally and misses sarcasm or hints
Has one or two interests that take up most of their attention
Ages 14 to 15
Wants friendships but finds them hard to keep
Copies how peers talk and behave in order to fit in
Is exhausted after socializing, even when it went well
Reacts strongly when plans change unexpectedly
Is easily overwhelmed in busy, loud, or bright places
Ages 16 to 20
Finds it hard to start or organize tasks without structure
Avoids phone calls, interviews, and unfamiliar social settings
Has anxiety or low mood treated without a clear explanation
Relies on routines, and struggles when they break
Worries about independence, work, or moving out
None of these confirms anything on its own. If several sound familiar, the AQ-10 above can help you decide whether a full evaluation makes sense.
Why autism is often missed until the teen years
Academic performance hides a lot. A teen who does well in school often has their social and sensory struggles read as personality, not as anything clinical, and nobody thinks to screen. Masking hides most of what is left, because many autistic teens learn to copy social behavior from peers, rehearse conversations in advance, and hold eye contact deliberately. It works well enough from the outside, and it is tiring from the inside.
The scale of this is measurable. In a 2023 study of 16 year olds across four northern New Jersey counties, researchers identified 560 adolescents who met the criteria for autism. Of those, 143, or 25.5 percent, had never been diagnosed by a community provider. Our guide to why girls are diagnosed later explains how traits show up at different ages. If you would rather talk it through first, you can talk to our care team about next steps.
Photo by Arthur Krijgsman (Pexels)
How AQ-10 scoring works and what your score means
Scoring is standardized and always the same. Each of the ten questions can score at most one point. Some items score a point for agreeing and others score a point for disagreeing, which is why the version matters and why the tool has to be scored properly rather than eyeballed.
Your score
What it means
What to do next
0 to 5
Below the threshold
This result does not point toward a full autism assessment right now. Short screening tools do miss people, especially teens who mask well.
No next step is needed based on this screen alone. If the concern stays, it is always reasonable to raise it with a clinician.
6 to 10
At or above the threshold
A score of 6 or above is the point at which the authors of the AQ-10 recommend considering a referral for a full autism assessment. That is what the threshold means, and nothing beyond it.
Talk to our care team about evaluation options covered by Medicaid or private insurance.
Talk to the Alpaca Health teamThe AQ-10 is a screening tool, not a diagnostic test. A score at or above the threshold does not mean someone is autistic, and a score below it does not rule it out. Only a full evaluation by a qualified clinician can do that.
The AQ-10 at home and at school
Because the AQ-10 asks about how someone gets on with other people, a teacher or school counselor often notices things a parent does not see, and the other way round. More than one point of view usually gives a clearer picture than any single one does.
If the result suggests a closer look, it is a useful thing to bring to:
- A conversation with a teacher or school counselor.
- A request for a school evaluation, or an IEP or 504 plan meeting.
- Your pediatrician or family doctor, who can refer for a full evaluation.
It is not a diagnosis, but it gives everyone a shared starting point.
Photo by Kampus Production (Pexels)
From screening to diagnosis to ABA therapy
A screening is a starting point. Here is how the rest of the path usually works, and where Alpaca Health fits in.
1
Screen at home
The AQ-10 above gives you a quick read on whether a full evaluation makes sense.
2
Get a professional evaluation
A qualified clinician confirms a diagnosis using a full assessment alongside history and direct observation. Our care team can help you find options covered by Medicaid or private insurance.
3
Start support
After a diagnosis, ABA therapy is covered by Medicaid and most major insurance. Alpaca Health matches families with clinician-owned providers who work with teens and young adults.
Not sure where to begin? The Alpaca Health team can walk you through it.
Helpful autism resources for families
Social skills for teens
How teens build and keep friendships, and where support helps.
How much ABA therapy costs
What evaluations and ABA therapy cost, and how insurance and Medicaid help.
Does Medicaid cover ABA therapy?
How Medicaid coverage works for autism evaluation and ABA therapy.
More on autism screening
Guides on screening, diagnosis, and what the results mean for your family.
ABA therapy for teens
How ABA works for teens and young adults, and what to expect.
What to do after a diagnosis
The first steps once you have an answer, and who can help.
Frequently asked questions about the autism test for teens
How does a teenager get tested for autism?
It happens in two stages. First, a screening tool like the AQ-10 shows whether a full assessment is worth doing. Second, a qualified clinician runs that assessment, usually a psychologist, developmental pediatrician, or psychiatrist. The second stage is what produces a diagnosis, and our team can help you find it and work out what your insurance covers.
How can I tell if my 14 year old has autism?
You cannot tell for certain without an evaluation, and that is worth saying plainly. What you can do is look at the pattern rather than any single trait: friendships that are hard to keep, feeling wiped out after social events, missed social rules, narrow and intense interests, trouble with sudden change, and sensory sensitivity. The parent version of the test on this page was built for a 14 year old, and it gives you more than a hunch.
Is this autism test for teens really free?
Yes, completely free, with no obligation and no payment details. If the result suggests a closer look, our care team can help you find evaluation options covered by Medicaid or private insurance.
What level is mild autism?
Clinicians describe autism in three levels. The levels track how much support a person needs, not how mild or severe the autism is. Level 1 means needing support, and it is the level people usually mean by mild. Level 2 means needing substantial support, and level 3 means needing very substantial support. A level is set during a full evaluation, never from a screening tool.
What does low-level autism look like in a teenager?
Usually it looks like a teenager who is managing, at a cost. Grades may be fine while friendships are not. Social situations get handled by rehearsal and imitation instead of by instinct. The strain often shows up as anxiety, exhaustion after school, or a need to be alone to recover. This is the presentation most often missed.
My teen was evaluated as a child and autism was ruled out. Should we screen again?
Possibly, yes, and this happens more often than families expect. Autism looks different at different ages. Social demands grow through the teen years, and copying other people stops being enough. A teen who did not meet the criteria at six may meet them at fifteen.
Will my results be shared?
Your results are private. If you give us your email, our care team may follow up about next steps. Your information is not sold and is not shared with third parties.
Is the AQ-10 a diagnosis?
No, the AQ-10 is a screening tool and not a clinical assessment. A diagnosis requires a full evaluation by a trained clinician. This test only helps you decide whether that evaluation is worth arranging.
Sources
Allison C, Auyeung B, Baron-Cohen S. Toward brief red flags for autism screening. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2012; 51(2):202-12.
Zahorodny W, Shenouda J, Sidwell K, et al. Prevalence and characteristics of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder in the New York-New Jersey Metropolitan Area. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2023; 55(6):2043-2049.
AQ-10 © SBC/CA/BA/ARC/Cambridge University. Used with permission. Recommended in NICE clinical guideline CG142.
Reviewed by Samantha Ridout, BCBA
Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Clinical Reviewer at Alpaca Health. BACB certification #1-22-57709. Last reviewed July 2026.
Verify at bacb.comTake the first step today
A two-minute screening can bring clarity and point you toward the right next step. If you have questions, the Alpaca Health care team is here to help.
