CAT-Q
Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q)
The CAT-Q is a self-report questionnaire designed to measure social camouflaging strategies in people with autistic traits. It explores the ways in which a person masks, compensates for, or adapts their social behavior in order to appear more in line with neurotypical expectations. It provides valuable clinical information on the psychological cost of social adaptation, social fatigue, autistic identity, and possible gaps between observed functioning and subjective experience.
- Number of questions
- 25 questions
- Estimated duration
- 6 minutes
- Language
- English
- Original name
- Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire
- Target audience
- Adolescents and adults
- Authors
- Laura Hull, William Mandy, Meng-Chuan Lai, Carrie Allison, Simon Baron-Cohen, Paula Smith, Michael L. Pellicano (2019)
- Category
- Autism spectrum
Preview of the 25 questions
Scoring & interpretation
Scoring
Total score: 85/175
Reference mean scores
| Autistic | Neurotypical | |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 124.35 | 90.87 |
| Men | 109.64 | 96.89 |
| Non-binary | 122.00 | 109.44 |
Compensation: 27/63
Strategies developed to overcome social difficulties (scripts, mimicking, explicitly learning social rules).
Reference mean scores
| Autistic | Neurotypical | |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 41.85 | 27.18 |
| Men | 36.81 | 30.06 |
| Non-binary | 43.50 | 35.48 |
Masking: 36/56
Efforts to hide or suppress autistic traits in order to appear neurotypical.
Reference mean scores
| Autistic | Neurotypical | |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 37.87 | 34.69 |
| Men | 32.90 | 36.34 |
| Non-binary | 36.06 | 38.70 |
Assimilation: 22/56
Attempts to fit in during social situations by avoiding standing out or forcing interactions.
Reference mean scores
| Autistic | Neurotypical | |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 44.63 | 29.00 |
| Men | 39.93 | 30.48 |
| Non-binary | 39.88 | 35.26 |
Landmarks: range of the published means, all sexes combined. On masking the two ranges overlap: this subscale discriminates poorly.
The CAT-Q consists of 25 items rated on a 7-point Likert scale (from 1 = "Strongly disagree" to 7 = "Strongly agree"). The results are divided into three subscales: compensation, masking, and assimilation. A high overall score reflects extensive use of social camouflaging. Scores can be interpreted against the means reported in the general and clinical populations.
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