What Is an Autism Test?

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Medically reviewed by Dakari Quimby, PhD

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that causes differences in brain patterns. Core ASD features include challenges with social skills and communication, along with repetitive or restrictive behaviors. ASD can also affect how you experience sensory stimuli such as sound, light, touch, taste, texture, or smell. Early diagnosis is important because it provides access to the correct specialists and therapies and improves long-term social and academic outcomes.

How Do Autism Tests Work?

Autism testing typically starts with screening to spot potential ASD traits. Screening may occur in a healthcare provider’s office, school, or online. If a screening measure indicates the possibility of ASD, you will likely undergo more evaluation by healthcare providers and autism specialists.

Because ASD can affect your social skills, behaviors, and communication, tests and screenings assess the following factors:

• Verbal communication
• Non-verbal communication or social cues (like eye contact or body language)
• Sensory sensitivities
• Repetitive behaviors
• Resistance to change
• Limited social interaction 
• Irritability, sleep disturbances, emotional outbursts
• Intense special interests 

Screening tools may also look for strengths that someone with ASD may have, such as a detail-oriented learning style, strong visual and auditory learning abilities, and excellency in math, science, music, or art.

Types of Autism Tests

If you or a loved one may have symptoms of autism, healthcare providers can use a variety of tests to learn more about your symptoms and overall condition.

Screening Questionnaires for Caregivers

Screening typically involves a brief questionnaire that takes caregivers (or, people who care for someone who has autism) about 10 to 15 minutes to complete. The screenings help identify those at risk for ASD and spark conversations with their healthcare provider. However, screening measures don’t diagnose ASD.

Not all screenings are ASD-specific. Tools like the Parents’ Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS) and Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) are broad developmental screenings that can detect ASD traits. Similarly, the Developmental Behavior Checklist (DBC) screens for several developmental and behavioral conditions in children.

Questionnaires often include several versions for different developmental age groups and their reporters (e.g., parents or teachers). Screenings for young children focus on early communication skills and imaginative play, while those for school-age children focus on academic performance, social behavior, and adaptability. Teen screenings ask about friendships, emotion regulation, and sensory experiences. Adult questionnaires typically inquire more about employment, relationships, thinking, and social skills.

The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) is one of the most common tools for children between the ages of 16 and 48 months. Other examples of screening tools include:

Screening Tools for Professionals

The Screening Tool for Autism in Toddlers and Young Children (STAT) screens children between the ages of 2 and 3 years old. This professional screening test involves play and game activities. Tasks include observing toy play, assessing imitation abilities, and checking joint attention skills. It takes around 20 minutes to complete.

Behavioral Checklists

Behavioral checklists, like the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC), offer a systematic way for caregivers, teachers, and professionals to observe, track, and document behaviors over time. Keeping track of these daily behaviors can help healthcare providers understand or detect potential traits of ASD.

Structured Interviews

Structured interviews, like the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R), provide a standard format to guide healthcare providers when asking about a caregiver or the child about the child’s behavior and history. While they can be lengthy and require special training, they are beneficial for diagnosing or ruling out autism.

Direct Observation Tools

Direct observation tools, such as the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), offer a guide to healthcare providers to monitor someone’s behaviors. Watching how the person interacts with others, plays, and responds to stimuli provides insight into communication skills and behavioral patterns.

Behavior Rating Scales

Behavior rating scales, like the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), involve caregivers or teachers observing a child’s behavior. These scales give a numerical score that helps healthcare providers measure the severity of ASD symptoms, track changes over time, and evaluate treatment progress.

Evaluation Checklists

Forms like the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) help evaluate how effective autism treatment is over time. Based on these tests, your healthcare provider can adjust your treatment plan if necessary.

Are Online Autism Tests Reliable?

Online autism tests offer a convenient, quick way to identify potential ASD traits. However, accuracy can vary due to user characteristics, platform accessibility, test design, cultural factors, and technical issues. A precise diagnosis requires a thorough assessment by autism specialists.

How to Interpret Autism Test Results

Autism tests use different scales and cutoff points. Higher scores typically suggest a greater likelihood of ASD, while lower scores indicate fewer symptoms. Some tests focus on the amount of questions someone answers a certain way. For example, the Early Screening of Autistic Traits (ESAT) notes that if a parent answers three or more questions with “no,” the child is eligible for further autism screening.

Examples of scoring systems include:

• ASSQ: A score of 13 or above indicates probable ASD 
• M-CHAT: A score of 8 or above indicates a high likelihood of autism
• AQ-10: A score of 6 or above shows the need for a comprehensive autism assessment
• CARS: A score of 30 or higher suggests the presence of ASD, and scores above 37 indicate moderate to severe symptoms
• RAADS-R: A score of 65 or higher indicates you likely have autism

Please note that a high score doesn’t always mean you or a loved one have autism. In fact, not every person with ASD scores above the threshold on each test, and no single test is conclusive. If you receive a low score on the RAADS–R, your provider may suggest taking the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) or CAT-Q . Each test asks different types of questions and can provide more insight about your condition.

When to Contact a Healthcare Provider

It’s a good idea to call a healthcare provider if you or your loved one show traits of ASD, especially if these traits or symptoms are persistent and interfere with daily life. If you detect these traits through observation, self-assessment, or an online questionnaire, healthcare providers can help you interpret the results of those tests accurately.

Your provider may also suggest extra ASD screening or testing for those with the following risk factors:

• A family member with ASD
• Certain chromosomal conditions (like Down’s syndrome) 
• Low birth weight
• Having older parents at birth

Diagnosis

An autism diagnosis requires an evaluation by a multidisciplinary team of specialists, such as a pediatrician (or primary care provider), autism specialist, psychologist, psychiatrist, and/or social worker. Evaluations involve a combination of tests, checklists, interviews, and observations that span multiple sessions.

Your healthcare team uses the information they gather to see if symptoms match the following autism diagnostic criteria set by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (more commonly known as the DSM-5).

• Difficulties in social interaction and communication
• Repetitive behavior 
• Restricted interests or activities
• Symptoms that impair everyday functioning

Young children can receive a diagnosis by age two, but diagnosis is more common at age five or older. Diagnosing older children, teens, and adults can be more challenging due to overlapping symptoms with other conditions like hearing problems, anxiety, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that may mimic or co-occur with ASD.

Next Steps

In the first days following an autism diagnosis, allow yourself and your family time to process emotions and discuss your feelings. It’s natural to feel a range of emotions, so be gentle with yourselves and lean on each other for support.

After a few days, you can begin taking the following steps:

• Learn about autism 
• Explore online resources like autism advocacy organizations 
• Adjust your loved one’s environment to accommodate sensory sensitivities and communication preferences 
• Explore available support resources, therapies, and early intervention programs in your community 
• Build a support system of family, friends, teachers, professionals, and peers in support groups
• Be an advocate for your loved one’s needs within the healthcare system and educational settings
• Trust your instincts and prioritize what works best for your family

Autism Speaks provides a kit for younger and school-age children with a new autism diagnosis. These kits include a week-by-week plan for the first 100 days after diagnosis. They also supply an adult autism diagnosis toolkit. These guides cover the diagnostic process, co-occurring conditions, therapies, legal protections, self-advocacy, insights from other autistic adults, and perspectives on relationships.

A Quick Review

Autism testing involves a range of assessments, from brief caregiver questionnaires to professional interviews and observations. These tests help identify potential ASD traits by evaluating social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviors. While online tests can provide initial insights, a formal diagnosis requires a comprehensive evaluation by a team of professionals.

Read the original article on Health.com.