Assessment Tool

CAT-Q Camouflaging Assessment

Measure your social camouflaging patterns—the strategies used to navigate social situations by masking autistic traits and copying neurotypical behaviors.

Compensation Masking Assimilation

Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q)

The CAT-Q measures social camouflaging—the strategies many autistic people use to navigate social situations. This includes masking autistic traits, copying others' behaviors, and working to fit in.

What It Measures

Compensation

Using learned strategies to navigate social situations (scripts, copying behaviors)

Masking

Hiding aspects of yourself that might seem 'different' to others

Assimilation

Efforts to fit in and blend with neurotypical social norms

Important: This is a self-reflection tool, not a diagnostic instrument. Camouflaging is common among autistic people but the CAT-Q alone cannot determine if you are autistic. High scores reflect camouflaging behaviors, which can be exhausting regardless of diagnosis.

25 questions • About 5-10 minutes

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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Understanding Masking

Camouflaging involves consciously or unconsciously hiding autistic traits to fit in. This assessment helps you understand your own patterns.

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Research-Based

Developed by Hull et al. (2019) at the Autism Research Centre. Validated with autistic and non-autistic adults.

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Completely Private

Your answers stay on your device. Nothing is sent to any server. Progress saves locally so you can return later.

About Social Camouflaging

Many autistic people learn to "camouflage" in social situations—consciously or unconsciously adjusting their behavior to appear more neurotypical. This might involve copying others' expressions, preparing scripts for conversations, or suppressing natural responses like stimming.

Camouflaging often develops as a survival strategy, especially for those who weren't diagnosed until later in life, or who faced negative responses to their natural autistic behaviors. While it can help navigate certain situations, research shows high levels of camouflaging are associated with exhaustion, anxiety, depression, and autistic burnout.

The Three Subscales

Compensation

Using learned strategies to navigate social situations. This might include preparing scripts, copying others' body language, or deliberately monitoring your expressions and responses.

Masking

Actively hiding aspects of yourself that might appear "different." This could mean suppressing stims, forcing eye contact, or pretending to understand social cues you find confusing.

Assimilation

Efforts to fit in and blend with others. This often manifests as feeling like you're "performing" in social situations or wearing a "mask" rather than being your authentic self.

Why This Matters

Understanding your camouflaging patterns can help you:

  • Recognize when masking might be contributing to exhaustion
  • Make conscious choices about when camouflaging is worth the energy cost
  • Find spaces where you can be more authentically yourself
  • Understand late-diagnosed or missed autism (high masking often delays recognition)
  • Address burnout by understanding its roots

Related Assessment

The CAT-Q measures camouflaging behaviors, while the AQ measures autistic traits. Taking both can give you a more complete picture—high CAT-Q with lower AQ scores might indicate significant masking.

Take the AQ Assessment →

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.