Home
Psychological tests
Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q)

Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q) Test

In about 5 minutes, it helps you understand how you mask autistic traits in social communication. Quick 25 questions offer clear insights to support more tailored coping and support plans.

Start Online Test

Questions: 255 minutes

Hi! My name is Freudly, i am an AI therapist, I will give you an interpretation of the test after you complete it.

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

28670 views

3984 completions

3098 likes

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

27/56

Masking (M)

Measures how often a person uses strategies to hide autistic traits or present a more neurotypical persona in social situations.

Lower masking

Higher masking

8 – 34: Lower masking | 35 – 56: Higher masking

A score of 27 falls in the Lower masking range, suggesting relatively infrequent use of camouflaging strategies in daily life.

example score

49/63

Compensation (C)

Measures how often a person uses active strategies to compensate for social-communication difficulties during interactions.

Lower compensation

Higher compensation

9 – 27: Lower compensation | 28 – 63: Higher compensation

A score of 49 falls in the Higher compensation range, suggesting frequent use of deliberate strategies to manage or overcome social-communication challenges.

example score

103/175

CAT-Q Total Score (CTS)

Measures how strongly a person tends to use camouflaging (masking) strategies to hide or compensate for autistic traits in social situations.

Low–moderate masking

Elevated masking

25 – 90: Low–moderate masking | 91 – 175: Elevated masking

A score of 103 falls in the Elevated masking range, suggesting frequent use of strategies to manage or conceal autistic traits during social interaction.

example score

32/56

Assimilation (A)

Assimilation measures how often a person tries to fit into social situations by masking internal discomfort and adapting their behavior to social norms.

Low

High

8 – 29: Low | 30 – 56: High

A score of 32 falls in the High range, suggesting frequent use of assimilation strategies to blend in socially despite possible internal discomfort.

Start Online Test

just completed the test

DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Socially exhausted high-achievers

41%OF USERS

People who seem socially skilled but feel drained from constantly monitoring expressions, tone, and small talk to fit in.

Late-diagnosis self-explorers

34%OF USERS

Adults who suspect autistic traits and want to understand whether masking has been hiding their difficulties for years.

Clinicians and support seekers

25%OF USERS

Therapy clients and professionals using the results to discuss coping strategies, burnout risk, and the need for accommodations.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

What You’ll See After You Finish the Test

Scale Results
— Explained Clearly

Your scores across each test scale, translated into plain, usable insights. Not just numbers, but what they actually mean for your daily life, emotional state, and overall well-being.

AI-Powered
Interpretation

A structured, clinically grounded explanation. Our AI analyzes patterns and relationships between scales to provide a coherent interpretation — without alarmist language.

Statistical
Comparison

See how you compare to others. Your scores are placed in a statistical context, showing percentiles and trends based on anonymized platform data to help you understand what`s typical.

Practical
Recommendations

Actionable guidance tailored to your profile. Receive clear, realistic suggestions you can apply immediately — focused on coping, self-regulation, and realistic next steps.

AI-Detected
Insights

Key patterns you might not notice on your own. Surfacing subtle connections in your responses that help you better understand what may be driving your current results.

Discuss with
an AI Psychologist

Clarify, reflect, and explore right away. Talk through your outcomes, ask questions, and explore meanings in a calm, non-diagnostic dialogue environment.

Start Online Test

Used in 52+ countries

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you finish the test, your results will be compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of the benchmarks we use to place your score in context.

Camouflage (C)

Average

35.8

Normal range

26.8 — 44.7

min.

max.

majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.

Compensation (C)

Average

43.4

Normal range

35.8 — 51

min.

max.

majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.

Overall CAT-Q Score (OCS)

Average

101.6

Normal range

77 — 126.2

min.

max.

175

majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.

Assimilation (A)

Average

20.3

Normal range

12.3 — 28.3

min.

max.

majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.

Start Online Test

Featured On

Rated 4.8/5 by Our Customers

“Freudly really helped me discover parts of my personality I hadn’t noticed before. It strengthened the areas where I needed to grow and made me feel more grounded and confident in the parts that already worked well.”

— Emma C., US

“I wanted to understand how serious my ADHD is, and now I finally do. I also realized I need to work on my self-esteem. It has been low for a long time, and that makes daily life harder than it should be.”

— Mateo R., CA

“Reading each question felt like someone really understood me. Even though I’ve already dealt with much of this, reflecting still helped me learn something new about myself.”

— Caroline F., US

“The process is simple. The test covers everything you need, and you’ll get a clear breakdown of your results. For just a few dollars, it’s a great value.”

— Klara N., CZ

“I kept thinking there might be a small chance, but now I know for sure. The questions were easy to understand, and the whole process was straightforward.”

— Bruno M., BR

“I really enjoyed this experience. I learned a lot, and it helped me make sense of my thoughts and the feeling I’ve had for a long time that I may have grown up with undiagnosed ADHD.”

— Alice B., FR

“Great platform — the insights were genuinely meaningful!”

— Daniel W., DE

“Everything was easy to follow. The tools you get at the end are genuinely helpful for self-growth, and the price is very reasonable. I really appreciate that.”

— Sofia M., ES

“Surprisingly accurate — honestly didn’t expect it to nail things so well.”

— Adir B., IL

“There are lots of different tests to pick from, and the price is surprisingly low for how much insight you get.”

— Olivia W., CA

“I was pleasantly surprised when I read the results. It was as if someone had sorted out my messy thoughts and given me useful tips to help me speak with more confidence.”

— Grace O., IE

“It was really solid, very detailed, and it actually helped me make sense of a lot of things.”

— Carla T., TT

“I was really impressed with the report. It was clear, thoughtful, and it reflected things I’ve been noticing about myself.”

— Jade H., US

“The questions made me think deeply and helped me become more self-aware.”

— Brooke S., US

“Reading through most of the questions made me feel understood. Although I’ve already worked through some of these issues, the questions still gave me useful insights and helped me learn more about myself.”

— Ryan M., US

“I usually take one or two tests each month, and this has become a good way for me to see how I’m doing.”

— Lucas W., US

“Most of the time, my results are in the 90 to 98th percentile compared to others. It really makes me feel like there’s something unique about me.”

— Ethan C., US

“I tried out some of the AI’s suggestions, and to be honest, they worked much better than I thought they would. Maybe this thing really is smarter than me.”

— Reece D., AU

Trusted by 22k+ Users Worldwide

CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

Any questions left?

What does this questionnaire measure?

It measures how often a person uses strategies to hide or compensate for autistic traits in social situations. It focuses on behaviors used to appear more socially typical.

Who is this questionnaire intended for?

It is intended for adolescents and adults who want to assess camouflaging behaviors related to autistic traits. It may be used in research or as part of a broader clinical assessment.

How long does it take to complete and how many items are included?

It includes 25 items and typically takes about 5 minutes to complete. Most people can finish it in one sitting.

How should responses be selected?

Choose the option that best reflects typical behavior across everyday situations. If unsure, select the response that fits most of the time rather than an exceptional case.

Does this questionnaire provide a diagnosis?

No, the results do not diagnose autism or any other condition. They describe the level and type of camouflaging strategies reported and should be interpreted alongside other information.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Autistic Traits Masking Questionnaire, CAT-Q Test

Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q) Test

autism

This self-report measure assesses the extent to which an individual uses strategies to manage or conceal autistic characteristics in social contexts. The Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q) focuses on behavioral and interpersonal adaptations that may be used to fit social expectations.

The instrument includes 25 items and typically takes about 5 minutes to complete. Items ask respondents to rate how often they engage in specific approaches to navigating social situations, such as monitoring social presentation, adjusting communication style, or relying on learned social scripts. Scores are intended to inform clinical formulation and research by characterizing patterns of camouflaging that may affect observed functioning and self-reported experience.

As referenced by psytests.org (2023), results from the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q) should be interpreted in the context of developmental history, current context, and other assessment data; it is not a standalone diagnostic tool.

Author: psytests.org (2023)

Literature: Hull, L., Mandy, W., Lai, M.-C., Baron-Cohen, S., Allison, C., Smith, P., & Petrides, K. V. Development and validation of the camouflaging autistic traits questionnaire (CAT-Q). Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2019.

Test Question Form