Methodology note
Methodology of the Neurodivergence test questionnaire
This page describes where the items come from, how the score is computed and the limits of this questionnaire. It is public and asks for no sign-up.
1Where the items come from
The items are written for Brain Quiz from the published literature in the field.
The 50 situations in this questionnaire were written for Brain Quiz, drawing on the literature about neurodivergent profiles in adults. No published scale is reproduced. The references below document the field explored, they are not the source of the items.
2How the score is computed
Each answer is worth 0 to 4 points. All questions carry the same weight. The total is rescaled to 100, then placed in one of four bands. The four axes are computed separately, as a percentage of the maximum reachable on that axis. The bands were set by the editorial team: they match no validated threshold.
2.1The reading axes
Each item feeds a single axis. Each axis is computed as a percentage of the maximum reachable on its own items.
| Reading axis | Items |
|---|---|
| Social communication | 10 |
| Specific interests and routines | 10 |
| Sensory processing | 10 |
| Social masking | 10 |
| Empathy and reading emotions | 10 |
2.2The reading bands
The score brought back to 100 falls into one of these bands. The bounds are set by the editorial team, and shown here.
| Band | Range out of 100 | Guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Few traits identified | 0 to 30 | nonea |
| Scattered traits | 31 to 60 | conversation suggestedb |
| Marked traits | 61 to 90 | conversation suggestedb |
| Very marked traits | 91 to 100 | reinforced guidancec |
- No guidance message comes with this band.
- The result mentions that a conversation with a professional can help.
- The result shows a guidance message towards a health professional.
3Limits of the result
This questionnaire does not tell you whether you are autistic, whether you have an attention disorder, or anything else about your health. It surveys traits that overlap across several profiles: a high score does not point to one profile rather than another. Only a professional assessment can make that distinction.
4References
Each entry carries its authors, year, title, journal and identifier.
- Baron-Cohen, S., Wheelwright, S., Skinner, R., Martin, J., & Clubley, E. (2001). The Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ): evidence from Asperger syndrome/high-functioning autism, males and females, scientists and mathematicians. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 31(1), 5-17. doi:10.1023/A:1005653411471 opens in a new tab ↑
- 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. doi:10.1007/s10803-018-3792-6 opens in a new tab ↑
- Kessler, R. C., Adler, L., Ames, M., Demler, O., Faraone, S., Hiripi, E., Howes, M. J., Jin, R., Secnik, K., Spencer, T., Ustun, T. B., & Walters, E. E. (2005). The World Health Organization Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS): a short screening scale for use in the general population. Psychological Medicine, 35(2), 245-256. doi:10.1017/S0033291704002892 opens in a new tab ↑