GQ-ASC: The Autism Screener Designed for Women and Girls

A free, confidential 21-question screener that takes three to five minutes. The GQ-ASC — the Girls' Questionnaire for Autism Spectrum Conditions — identifies behaviours and abilities associated with autism in women aged 18 and over, across social, sensory and behavioural areas.

Why a screener designed specifically for women

Most autism screening tools were built from research conducted on boys. They ask about the traits that made autism visible in boys, and they miss a great deal of what autism looks like in girls and women — the social mimicry, the suppressed interests, the friendships maintained at enormous cost, the exhaustion that only shows up at home.

Women who take a generic autism checklist frequently come out below threshold and conclude they must have been wrong about themselves. That is not a conclusion about them. It is a limitation of the instrument.

The GQ-ASC came out of work by Tony Attwood and colleagues on how autism presents in girls, adapted for adult women. A published study, Am I Autistic? Utility of the Girls Questionnaire for Autism Spectrum Condition as an Autism Assessment in Adult Women, has since examined its usefulness with this group specifically.

Who it is for

Women aged 18 and over who are wondering about autism — whether that wondering started last week or has been sitting quietly in the background for thirty years.

You do not need to be certain, and you do not need anyone else to have suggested it. Most of the women who take this have never said the thought out loud to anybody.

How it works

Twenty-one questions, three to five minutes, answered privately. Nothing is timed and there are no right answers.

At the end you get a score out of 84 and a plain explanation of what that range suggests. You can have a copy emailed to you, and if you are already working with a therapist you can have it sent to them as well. Your responses are confidential.

What your score means

Scores run from 0 to 84, and a higher score indicates more of the traits the questionnaire measures.

A score of 0 to 28

Few autistic traits, with strong adaptive abilities and relative social ease. If something still does not sit right with you, take this as information rather than as a closed door — one questionnaire cannot see everything, and plenty of women who score in this range still have something worth exploring.

A score of 29 to 56

A moderate level of autistic traits, with some challenges in social communication or sensory processing, and enough present to warrant further assessment. This is a common range for women who have been masking effectively for years, because masking works — it just costs more than anyone can see.

A score of 57 to 84

A significant level of autistic traits, likely affecting social interaction, sensory experience or daily routines, often with a strong preference for structure and predictability. A score here is a clear signal that a proper conversation about assessment is worth having.

What this screener is not

This screener is for informational purposes only. It is not a diagnosis and it does not replace clinical evaluation. Only a qualified clinician can diagnose autism.

What it can do is give you language. For a great many women, the most valuable thing a screener produces is not the number but the recognition — reading a question and realising that someone, somewhere, has described your actual life.

What to do next

If your score gives you something to think about, you can talk it through with someone who works with autistic women every day. Get in touch and we will arrange a free consultation. Every therapist on our team works exclusively with autistic girls and women.

If you would rather keep exploring first, there are 27 more free screeners on our self-discovery page, including the CAT-Q for masking and the ASRS for ADHD. Our guides to autism in women and ADHD in women cover the fuller picture, and there is more on our learn pages and in our frequently asked questions.

If you are 18 or over and want a formal assessment, our sister organisation Adult Autism Assessment Center specialises in adult assessment, including women missed by earlier evaluations.