Is It High Functioning Autism?
A free reflection tool for adults and parents, from a Licensed Professional Counselor specializing in high-functioning autism. Twenty questions, about fifteen minutes, with your result shown immediately on screen.
Who This Reflection Is For
This tool was made for two kinds of people. The first is an adult who has wondered, sometimes for a very long time, whether they might be on the autism spectrum — who has often felt different in ways that are hard to name, learned to cover for it, and was never identified because they were managing. The second is a parent or caregiver who looks at a bright, capable adolescent or young adult and senses that something doesn’t quite fit, even though that young person is doing well on the surface.
Both are easy to miss. What was once called Asperger’s — the higher-functioning end of the spectrum — rarely looks like the picture most people carry of autism. It hides behind good grades, verbal ability, and the enormous effort of appearing fine. This is not a diagnostic instrument; only a full evaluation can diagnose autism. But it is a structured reflection of the kind a clinician would use to organize what you’re noticing, and in about fifteen minutes, it can show you where your observations actually fall and what tends to help.
What You Get
- Twenty items across four domains drawn from how autism is actually evaluated: social communication and interaction; routines, repetition, and intense interests; sensory sensitivities; and masking and its cost — the effort of appearing “fine” that so often hides the rest.
- A five-point scoring system producing a total from 0 to 80, plus a breakdown showing how your higher scores cluster across the four domains — often more telling than the total itself.
- Four interpretation bands — from few traits, through some and many, to a strong indication — each with a plain-language explanation of what that range typically means and what kind of next step tends to help.
- An optional screen-use section, scored separately, since heavy gaming and online use is one of the most common and serious concerns among the autistic young people and adults I work with.
- Your result, on screen, immediately — nothing to wait for, and a built-in option to print or save it to bring to a professional.
Taking it honestly takes most people between ten and fifteen minutes. Honesty is the hard part — and the entire point.
Why I Created This Tool
In over sixteen years of practice, the pattern I see most often in high-functioning autism is people who were missed. Bright children who were called “quirky” and left to figure things out on their own. Adults who reached their thirties, forties, or fifties, carrying a lifetime of not-quite-fitting and no explanation for it. The cost of being missed is real: years of effort, anxiety, and self-blame that a single honest conversation could have reframed.
I built this because the first step — an honest, structured look — should be available to anyone, whether or not they ever become my client. I specialize in high-functioning autism and internet addiction, and I’m the author of So You Have Autism, Now What? This tool is offered freely. There is no catch and no upsell — the work I do is most effective when people come to it on their own time.
What to Expect
The Moment You Sign Up
You go straight to the reflection in the version you chose. You’ll answer about twenty questions and see your result — your score, a breakdown by domain, and a plain-language read — the moment you finish. You can print or save it to keep or bring to a professional.
Over the Next Two Weeks:
I’ll send a short series of emails: a welcome note with a link back to the tool in case you’d like to take it again or finish later, one on how to read your result beyond the total, one on what a formal evaluation actually involves, and a final one introducing my ongoing newsletter.
After That:
You’ll only hear from me when I have something worth saying. My newsletter, Spectrum & Screens, covers research and practical guidance on autism, technology, and mental health. The unsubscribe link is at the bottom of every email — and you’ll always have the reflection to return to.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long does the Reflection Take?
Most people finish in about ten to fifteen minutes. There’s no timer — taking your time to answer honestly is the goal, not speed.
Is this Reflection Confidential?
Yes. Your answers are scored in your own browser and are never transmitted, stored, or seen by me. Your email is collected only to send your guide and the short follow-up sequence. Nothing about your result is shared unless you choose to discuss it during a consultation.
What if I Score in a High Range?
A high result doesn’t confirm autism — only a full evaluation can — but it does suggest that the pattern warrants a professional conversation. The result includes guidance on next steps, and if you’re in Texas, I offer free 15-minute consultations to talk it through.
I'm Not Sure if There is Anything There. Should I Still Take It?
Yes — a low result is genuinely useful information. Many people take it expecting confirmation and find their traits are within a typical range, which can be a relief. Others expect reassurance and recognize a pattern they hadn’t named. Either outcome is worth having.
Can I Share this with Someone I'm Worried About?
Yes. It works well as a structured starting point for a difficult conversation. Share the link to this page — they’ll sign up for themselves, so the result and follow-up reach them directly.
I'm Not in Texas. Is this Still Useful?
Yes. The reflection is free to anyone, anywhere. My practice is licensed only in Texas, so I can’t see you as a client elsewhere — but the follow-up emails include guidance on finding an evaluator in your area, and my book So You Have Autism, Now What? is a useful companion.
Is This for Adults or Children?
Both. When you start, you choose the version that fits: an adult reflecting on themselves, or a parent or caregiver reflecting on an adolescent or young adult. The questions are the same; only the wording changes.
Take the First Step
The hardest part of any answer is the moment of honest reflection. This tool doesn’t make you do anything — it just helps you see, in about fifteen minutes, where things actually stand. What you do next is up to you.