Alternatives to the Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ)
Free autism screening measures for self-report, parent/caregiver and informant-rated assessment, across child, adolescent and adult populations.
Written by Dr Hilah K Kaufman · Last updated August 2026
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NovoPsych has several autism-related screening measures that may suit your needs.
What to consider when choosing an alternative
When choosing among them, it’s worth considering a few things:
- Respondent: whether you need a self-report, parent/caregiver, or informant-rated measure
- Age group: child, adolescent, or adult
- Purpose: broad screening vs. a more comprehensive trait profile
The alternatives to the ASSQ
Depending on the client’s age and your clinical question, measures such as the AQ (and its child/adolescent versions), CAT-Q, RAADS-R, or CATI may be appropriate. Each measure’s NovoPsych page outlines its intended population and use, which can help you match the right tool to your needs.
A 50-item self-report questionnaire measuring the degree of autistic traits in adults (and ages 16+) across five domains: social skill, attention switching, attention to detail, communication, and imagination.
A 50-item parent-report measure of autistic traits in adolescents aged 12–15, across the same five AQ domains.
A 50-item parent-report measure of autistic traits in children aged 4–11, across the same five AQ domains.
A 25-item self-report measure (ages 16+) of how much a person masks or compensates for autistic traits, across compensation, masking, and assimilation — particularly useful for under-recognised presentations in women and gender-diverse people.
An 80-item, clinician-supported self-report screen for autism in adults (18+), spanning social relatedness, circumscribed interests, language, and sensory-motor domains.
A 42-item, neurodiversity-affirming self-report measure of autistic traits in adults across six subscales: social interactions, communication, social camouflage, self-regulatory behaviours, cognitive inflexibility, and sensory sensitivity.