Screening, honestly
Wondering about ADHD or autism?
This is a plain-language guide to the free ADHD and autism screening tests that adults actually use. We will not diagnose you, and neither will a test. What a good screener does is turn a vague "is this me?" into a clearer question you can bring to someone qualified. The tests are one click away, and they are free. No sign-up, no account.
One honest note before you start. Screening is not a diagnosis. A screening test flags a pattern. Only a qualified professional, a clinician, a psychiatrist, or a primary care provider, can actually diagnose ADHD or autism. A high score is a reason to look closer, not a label. A low score does not close the door.
What is on your mind?
Not sure where to start? Pick what sounds most like you. This points you to the right test. It does not score you, and it saves nothing.
There is a lot of overlap, and many adults fit more than one box. Being both ADHD and autistic, sometimes called AuDHD, is common. You are allowed to explore both.
Signs adults tend to notice
Adults come to this question for different reasons. Some notice years of inattention, restlessness, or impulsivity that never quite went away. Adult ADHD often shows up as trouble getting things in order, losing focus on boring or repetitive work, forgetting things that matter, or feeling driven by a motor. Autistic traits in adults can look like finding social interaction draining, strong sensory reactions, a deep need for routine, intense special interests, or masking for so long that it wears you down. None of this is a diagnosis. It is just what tends to bring people to a screening test.
The ADHD screener: ASRS
What it is
ADHD, short for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, shows up in three presentations: inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive, and combined. An online ADHD test like the ASRS screens across all of them. The Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale, or ASRS, is an 18-question self-report scale developed by the World Health Organization. The first six questions are the core screener. Four or more marks in that section is a signal worth taking seriously. It asks about everyday things like restlessness, staying with tedious tasks, and getting organized, and it takes a few minutes. We link to it below rather than copy it.
Honest limits
A few things worth knowing. Masking can hide symptoms of ADHD, so a lower score does not mean "nothing here." The scale was built on older DSM-IV criteria, so it can miss how ADHD in adults actually shows up, especially if you have spent years compensating. Other things can resemble ADHD too, including anxiety and sleep problems, and ADHD often co-occurs with other mental health conditions. A self-report scale flags a pattern. It does not measure a person, and it cannot confirm a diagnosis of ADHD.
Free · interactive · no sign-up · opens on the host's site
The ASRS was developed by the World Health Organization, and we link to it rather than reproduce it.
The autism screener: AQ
What it is
The Autism Spectrum Quotient, or AQ, is a 50-statement questionnaire from Simon Baron-Cohen and colleagues at Cambridge. As a rough guide, 32 or above is a strong signal, and 26 or above is worth paying attention to. It asks about social interaction, attention to detail, routine, and imagination, and it takes about ten minutes.
Honest limits
The AQ is a blunt screening tool. It was validated on a narrow group and is known to under-detect autistic women and anyone who has learned to camouflage their traits. If masking is part of your story, a questionnaire like the CAT-Q or the RAADS-R may capture things the AQ misses, and a professional evaluation captures more than any single self-assessment. A score below the line does not rule autism out. A score above it is not an official diagnosis.
Free · interactive · no sign-up · opens on the host's site
The AQ was developed by Simon Baron-Cohen and the Autism Research Centre at Cambridge, and we link to it rather than reproduce it.
What a score actually means
A number is a signpost, not a sentence. A high score means the pattern you are noticing is real enough to look into. A low score means this particular screening tool did not catch it, which is not the same as "you are fine." People mask, self-report has blind spots, and screening tools are imperfect. Autism and ADHD both sit on a spectrum, and mild or heavily masked traits can still shape your life. If the question is still sitting with you after a low score, that is information too.
Can ADHD or autism look like something else?
Sometimes. Anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, and trauma can all resemble or overlap with ADHD and autism, and more than one can be true at once. ADHD can present as anxiety, and autistic burnout can look like depression. This is one reason a short online test cannot give you a final answer, and why a proper evaluation looks at the whole picture rather than a single score.
Bringing it to your doctor
If you want to take this further, here is a low-demand way to do it.
- Save your result. A screenshot or the number is enough. You do not need to explain it perfectly.
- Write down two or three real examples from your life. "I miss deadlines I care about" beats "I have trouble focusing."
- Ask directly: "I screened positive on the ASRS or the AQ and I would like an assessment." That one sentence is a complete request.
- If you are brushed off, it is okay to ask for a referral or a second opinion. Wanting clarity is reasonable.
How is ADHD diagnosed in adults? A formal diagnosis usually involves a clinician or mental health professional working through the criteria for ADHD in the current diagnostic manual, the DSM-5, with you, sometimes across more than one appointment. Autism is diagnosed the same careful way. The screener is simply your foot in the door.
Want to read more first? Reputable nonprofits like ADDA (the Attention Deficit Disorder Association) and CHADD cover adult ADHD in plain language, and the Autism Research Centre and community-run resources do the same for autistic adults. We are not affiliated with any of them. They are just good places to learn.
Are these tests really free?
Yes. Both the ASRS and the AQ are free to take, run in your browser, and do not require an account. We do not host the tests ourselves and we earn nothing from them. We link to reputable places that offer the real instrument, so credit and control stay with the people who built it.
Read more from NuroQuirk
If you want to keep exploring, a few honest reads from our blog.
If you need help right now
This guide is not for a crisis. If you are struggling, please reach out.
- Find a free, confidential helpline in your country at findahelpline.com.
- In an emergency, contact your local emergency number.