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This self-assessment Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ) , was originally developed by Ehlers, Gillberg, and Wing (1999) . TraitProfiler provides an interactive digital version for educational, informational, and self-exploration purposes only.

Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ)

Background

The Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ) is a screening tool developed to help identify autism-spectrum related traits in children and adolescents.

The questionnaire focuses on behaviors commonly linked to autism-spectrum conditions, including social interaction difficulties, unusual communication styles, routines, emotional understanding, and repetitive behaviors.

The ASSQ is widely used in schools, research, and clinical screening settings. It helps parents, teachers, and professionals recognize patterns that may benefit from further evaluation and support.

The questionnaire explores several important areas:
- Social Interaction
- Communication Style
- Behavioral Rigidity
- Emotional Understanding
- Motor and Sensory Traits

Social Interaction measures peer relationships, social awareness, and social participation.

Communication Style measures unusual speech patterns, conversational behavior, and language differences.

Behavioral Rigidity measures routines, repetitive behaviors, restricted interests, and resistance to change.

Emotional Understanding measures empathy, emotional awareness, and understanding of social situations.

Motor and Sensory Traits measure coordination difficulties, unusual movements, posture, facial expressions, and sensory-related behaviors.

The ASSQ is designed as a screening and educational tool. It is not a standalone diagnostic instrument.

Procedure

This questionnaire is designed to be completed by parents, teachers, caregivers, or other adults who know the child well.

Please rate how well each statement describes the child's usual behavior, communication style, social interaction, and everyday functioning.

Is the child stands out as different from other children of his/her age in the following ways?

Participants rate each statement using a 3-point scale ranging from "No" to "Yes."

Participation

This assessment is intended for educational, research, and self-reflection purposes only. Results are anonymous and should not be considered a clinical diagnosis or substitute for professional psychological evaluation.

Scoring & Interpretation

Each item is scored from 0 to 2:
0 = No
1 = Somewhat
2 = Yes

Higher scores indicate stronger autism-spectrum related traits and behavioral patterns.

The ASSQ is commonly used as an early screening instrument to help identify individuals who may benefit from additional developmental or clinical evaluation.

Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ) Questionnaire

Instructions & Terms

Below is the Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ), a digitally adapted 27- items self-assessment questionnaire. This assessment does not provide a clinical diagnosis, medical determination, or substitute for professional psychological evaluation.

Question 1 of 27 Communication Style

is old-fashioned or precocious


Question 2 of 27 Social Interaction

is regarded as an "eccentric professor" by the other children


Question 3 of 27 Behavioral Rigidity

lives somewhat in a world of his/her own with restricted idiosyncratic intellectual interests


Question 4 of 27 Attention to Detail

accumulates facts on certain subjects (good rote memory) but does not really understand the meaning


Question 5 of 27 Communication Style

has a literal understanding of ambiguous and metaphorical language


Question 6 of 27 Communication Style

has a deviant style of communication with a formal, fussy, old-fashioned or "robot-like" language


Question 7 of 27 Communication Style

invents idiosyncratic words and expressions


Question 8 of 27 Communication Style

has a different voice or speech


Question 9 of 27 Motor and Sensory Traits

expresses sounds involuntarily; clears throat, grunts, smacks, cries or screams


Question 10 of 27 Attention to Detail

is surprisingly good at some things and surprisingly poor at others


Question 11 of 27 Communication Style

uses language freely but fails to make adjustment to fit social contexts or the needs of different listeners


Question 12 of 27 Emotional Understanding

lacks empathy


Question 13 of 27 Social Interaction

makes naive and embarrassing remarks


Question 14 of 27 Social Interaction

has a deviant style of gaze


Question 15 of 27 Social Interaction

wishes to be sociable but fails to make relationships with peers


Question 16 of 27 Social Interaction

can be with other children but only on his/her terms


Question 17 of 27 Social Interaction

lacks best friend


Question 18 of 27 Emotional Understanding

lacks common sense


Question 19 of 27 Social Interaction

is poor at games: no idea of cooperating in a team, scores "own goals"


Question 20 of 27 Motor and Sensory Traits

has clumsy, ill coordinated, ungainly, awkward movements or gestures


Question 21 of 27 Motor and Sensory Traits

has involuntary face or body movements


Question 22 of 27 Behavioral Rigidity

has difficulties in completing simple daily activities because of compulsory repetition of certain actions or thoughts


Question 23 of 27 Behavioral Rigidity

has special routines: insists on no change


Question 24 of 27 Behavioral Rigidity

shows idiosyncratic attachment to objects


Question 25 of 27 Social Interaction

is bullied by other children


Question 26 of 27 Motor and Sensory Traits

has markedly unusual facial expression


Question 27 of 27 Motor and Sensory Traits

has markedly unusual posture




Psychometric Norms

1
Participants
65%
Community Mean
0%
Sample SD
65%
Highest Observed Score
65%
Lowest Observed Score
2026–2026
Collection Period

Current normative data for theCurrent normative data for the Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ) are derived from 1 anonymous participant responses collected through TraitProfiler between 2026 and 2026. All response data are collected anonymously and are intended exclusively for educational, psychometric, and non-commercial research purposes.

Sources
  1. Ehlers, S., Gillberg, C., & Wing, L. (1999). A screening questionnaire for Asperger syndrome and other high-functioning autism spectrum disorders in school age children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 29(2), 129-141.