Autism traits
Autism is a form of neurodivergence: a different way of communicating, taking in the world and relating to others, which looks different from one person to the next. Only a doctor or another qualified professional can diagnose it, after a full assessment that looks at a person's history and daily life, not just a questionnaire.
The traits linked with autism, like finding small talk hard work, relying on routines, feeling sounds or textures strongly or diving deep into a favourite subject, are also things many people notice in themselves at times. The MindScale quiz looks at how often you notice them, in four areas, as a starting point for reflection.
See your own result
Your score and full report: $2.95 for 7 days of full access, then $29.95 every 4 weeks until you cancel.
Routine and predictability
How much you rely on familiar routines and how unsettling sudden changes feel.
- Toward the high end
- Routines matter a lot to people here, and sudden changes can be hard.
- Around the middle
- People here like some routine and can handle change, especially with a little warning.
- Toward the low end
- People here take changes of plan in their stride and don't need much routine.
Sensory sensitivity
How strongly sounds, lights, textures and smells affect you.
- Toward the high end
- For people here, sounds, lights, textures or smells often feel strong or tiring.
- Around the middle
- Some sensory input bothers people here at times, more when they are tired or in busy places.
- Toward the low end
- Noise, light and textures rarely get in the way for people here.
Deep interests and detail
How much you dive into favourite subjects and notice details others miss.
- Toward the high end
- People here dive deep into subjects they love and notice details others pass over.
- Around the middle
- People here get absorbed in some interests and notice detail at times, without it taking over.
- Toward the low end
- People here tend to have broad, changing interests and focus on the big picture more than the details.
How scoring works
Each statement has five response choices. A response contributes from 1 to 5 points to the scale it belongs to, and the points become a position from 0 to 100. Around 0–33 is the low third, 34–66 is around the middle and 67–100 is the high third.
Looking at the separate positions is more useful than treating them as one overall score: the profile shows where the answers sit on each scale.
What looking at these traits can help with
Seeing the four areas separately can help you describe what you notice more clearly: whether it's mostly social cues, mostly routine and change, mostly the senses or mostly deep focus and detail.
That description can be useful if you decide to talk to a professional. It is not a result to act on by itself.
These traits in everyday life
These traits can show up as needing quiet time after a busy day, feeling thrown by a last-minute change of plan or losing track of time in a favourite subject. Many people find that small adjustments, such as headphones in noisy places, knowing plans in advance or asking directly what someone means, make everyday things easier, whatever the reason behind the traits.
If these traits worry you or get in the way of your life, talk to a doctor or another qualified professional.
How to take the test
MindScale's autism traits test has 28 statements and no time limit. Choose the response that best matches how you usually are, not how you would like to be.
You can go back and change an answer. When you finish, you can unlock your score and full report: $2.95 for 7 days of full access, then $29.95 every 4 weeks until you cancel.
Your score and full report: $2.95 for 7 days of full access, then $29.95 every 4 weeks until you cancel.
Conclusion
Common autism traits fall into four areas: reading social cues, routine and predictability, sensory sensitivity, and deep interests and detail. Noticing some of them is common; only a qualified professional can say whether they add up to autism.
If you'd like to look at how often these traits show up for you, the MindScale autism traits quiz has 28 statements. It is not a diagnosis or a medical test, and the price is shown before you start.
See your own result
Your score and full report: $2.95 for 7 days of full access, then $29.95 every 4 weeks until you cancel.
Reading social cues
How often unspoken rules, hints and small talk take conscious effort for you.