Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire

What it measures

Measures camouflaging — the practice of masking or compensating for autistic traits in social situations. Assimilation captures trying to blend in with others; Compensation captures learning scripts and strategies to appear neurotypical; Masking captures hiding autistic traits and emotions. Important for understanding autistic wellbeing and late diagnosis.

Response format

Likert (1–7, strongly disagree to strongly agree)

Representative items

• I adjust my body language or facial expressions so that I appear interested in the person I am talking to. (Masking)
• I have developed a 'script' to follow in social situations. (Compensation)
• I monitor my own body language or facial expressions in social situations. (Compensation)
• I mimic the behaviours of others in order to fit in. (Assimilation)
• I force myself to make eye contact with people when I am talking to them. (Masking)

Usage notes & scoring

Freely available from Laura Hull. Total and three subscale scores. Higher = greater camouflaging. Importantly, high camouflaging is associated with worse mental health outcomes (anxiety, depression, burnout) and with later diagnosis, particularly in autistic women. A key measure for understanding the 'gender gap' in ASD diagnosis.

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Hull, L., Mandy, W., Lai, M.C., Baron-Cohen, S., Allison, C., Smith, P., & Petrides, K.V. (2019). Development and validation of the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q). Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(3), 819–833.

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