Free AuDHD test for adults: ADHD and autism in one screen

What is the test based on?

The test adapts most of its questions from two published screening scales. The autism statements are shortened versions of the AQ-10, the 10-item Autism Spectrum Quotient [3]. Its authors picked those items from the longer questionnaire as a quick flag for referral to a full assessment [3]. NICE guidance says clinicians can consider the AQ-10 for adults who may be autistic [4]. That advice applies when there’s no moderate or severe learning disability.

Six of the ADHD questions are reworded from the short screen of the World Health Organization’s adult ADHD self-report scale [5]. The other six ask about focus in groups, a cluttered mind, acting without thinking, irritability, mood swings and missing parts of conversations. Those six aren’t part of that scale. Both parts use shortened wording, and the test adds them into one score. So nobody has studied this combined version as a single test.

What does my result mean?

Your result places you in one of three bands of combined traits. The bands are minimal, moderate or strong combined ADHD and autism traits. It’s one result for both conditions, so it can’t tell you whether the traits point to ADHD, autism or both. A low band doesn’t rule either condition out, and a high band isn’t a diagnosis. The autism statements carry far fewer points, so a low band says especially little about autism.

In our clinicians’ view, masking is common, especially in adults who’ve spent years compensating. Masking can push a score down, because traits you’ve learned to hide can be hard to spot in yourself.

Other conditions can look like ADHD or autism. The NHS says a GP looking into ADHD may also consider other causes, such as Tourette’s or anxiety [6]. A questionnaire can’t tell these apart, but a full assessment can.

Could it be ADHD, autism or both?

Having both is possible, and ADHD is more common in autistic people [7]. Many people call that combination AuDHD. AuDHD is an everyday name, not a separate diagnosis. Clinicians assess each condition on its own terms, and they can diagnose both.

AuDHD Psychiatry offers three assessments for adults:

• An adult ADHD assessment is one appointment.
• An adult autism assessment is two appointments: the assessment, and an interview with someone who knows you well. We can still assess you if there’s no one who can take part.
• The AuDHD assessment looks at both together in three appointments: an ADHD assessment, an autism assessment and an interview with someone close to you.

If you’d rather answer autism questions only, there’s a separate free autism test you can take instead.

What should I do after the test?

Whatever your band, you can discuss your result on a free 15-minute call. It’s an information call, not an assessment. We assess people living in the UK. If you want an assessment, your first appointment is usually within 7 days. You’ll find the price of each assessment on our fees page.

On the NHS, your GP decides whether to refer you for an assessment. In England, Right to Choose lets you name the NHS-contracted provider your GP refers you to. AuDHD Psychiatry isn’t a Right to Choose provider and hasn’t applied to become one. You can read more about Right to Choose for ADHD and Right to Choose for autism.

NICE guidance says ADHD should never be diagnosed from a rating scale alone, though rating scales are useful added tools [8]. For autism, NICE guidance calls for a comprehensive assessment by trained professionals [4]. Where possible, it also draws on someone who knows you well, or on records such as school reports.