Autism Self-Screening
CATI test

Complete the Comprehensive Autistic Trait Inventory (CATI) here for free, no sign up required

This test is one of the 2 free screening steps, explained in full here. Fill out this test and make note of your score so you can interpret what it means with the instructions on the screening page. The CATI is a newer test that measures a broad range of autistic traits, and it aims to correct some ‘blind spots’ that other common tests (e.g., AQ and BAPQ) have in the various autistic trait dimensions. See here for full details on the research behind this test if interested.

Below is a list of statements relating to various personality traits, behaviours, and characteristics. Using the five response options select the option that best describes you. For items of a social nature, think about situations that do not involve very close friends or family members. Try not to spend too much time thinking about each choice.

Comprehensive Autistic Trait Inventory (CATI)
1. I often find myself fiddling or playing repetitively with objects (e.g. clicking pens)
2. I like to stick to certain routines for every-day tasks
3. I expend a lot of mental energy trying to fit in with others
4. I am over-sensitive to bright lighting
5. There are certain activities that I always choose to do the same way, every time
6. Sometimes I watch people interacting and try to copy them when I need to socialise
7. I often rock when sitting in a chair
8. I generally enjoy social events
9. I look for strategies and ways to appear more sociable
10. In social situations, I try to avoid interactions with other people
11. There are times when I feel that my senses are overloaded
12. There are certain objects that I fiddle or play with that can help me calm down or collect my thoughts
13. Reading non-verbal cues (e.g. facial expressions, body language) is difficult for me
14. I like my belongings to be sorted in certain ways and will spend time making sure they are that way
15. Social interaction is easy for me
16. When interacting with other people, I spend a lot of effort monitoring how I am coming across
17. I find social interactions stressful
18. I am over-sensitive to touch
19. I can tell how people feel from their facial expressions
20. I have a tendency to pace or move around in a repetitive path
21. I feel discomfort when prevented from completing a particular routine
22. I rely on a set of scripts when I talk with people
23. I find it easy to sense what someone else is feeling
24. I am over-sensitive to particular tastes (e.g. salty, sour, spicy, or sweet)
25. I engage in certain repetitive actions when I feel stressed
26. I rarely use non-verbal cues in my interactions with others
27. I often insist on doing things in a certain way, or re-doing things until they are ‘just right’
28. I feel confident or capable when meeting new people
29. Before engaging in a social situation, I will create a script to follow where possible
30. Social occasions are often challenging for me
31. Sometimes the presence of a smell makes it hard for me to focus on anything else
32. There are certain repetitive actions that others consider to be 'characteristic' of me (e.g. stroking my hair)
33. Metaphors or ‘figures of speech’ often confuse me
34. It annoys me when plans I have made are changed
35. I find it difficult to make new friends
36. I react poorly to unexpected loud noises
37. I have difficulty understanding someone else’s point-of-view
38. I like to arrange items in rows or patterns
39. I try to follow certain 'rules' in order to get by in social situations
40. I am sensitive to flickering lights
41. I have certain habits that I find difficult to stop (e.g. biting/tearing nails, pulling strands of hair)
42. I have difficulty understanding the 'unspoken rules' of social





You left one or more questions unanswered. Please answer the following questions and click 'score test' again:


    Your Result:



    Make note of your final score on this test (the CATI) and compare it to the threshold as discussed on the screening page.

    This test was created by Michael English et al (2021). See here for details. It was published under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format. To view a copy of this licence, go here.