CAST Autism Screening for School-Age Children
The Childhood Autism Spectrum Test (CAST) is a 31-item parent-report questionnaire for identifying autism spectrum traits in children aged 4 to 11 years. Developed at the Autism Research Centre, University of Cambridge, it is widely used in both educational and clinical settings.
- Questions
- 31
- Format
- Yes / No
- Time
- ~8 minutes
- Completed by
- Parent or caregiver
- Age range
- 4–11 years
About the CAST
The CAST was developed by Simon Baron-Cohen and colleagues to screen for autism spectrum traits across the full range of intellectual ability, including children without intellectual disability. It covers social interaction, communication, imagination, and repetitive or restricted behaviour.
Unlike earlier tools that focused on classic autism, the CAST is sensitive to the broader spectrum. Parents answer each yes/no question based on their child's typical behaviour. A score of 15 or above is the commonly cited threshold for recommending further assessment.
Source: Childhood Autism Spectrum Test — Baron-Cohen et al., Autism Research Centre, Cambridge
Frequently asked questions
- Who completes the CAST?
- A parent or primary caregiver completes the questionnaire based on the child's behaviour at home and in social situations. Teachers may also observe relevant behaviours, but the CAST is designed as a parent-report instrument.
- What is the scoring threshold?
- A score of 15 or above is considered a positive screen, indicating sufficient traits to warrant follow-up assessment by a specialist.
- My child has an ADHD diagnosis — can I still use this?
- Yes. The CAST screens for autism traits, and it is sometimes used alongside ADHD assessments since the two conditions frequently co-occur. A positive screen on the CAST does not confirm autism, but may support a referral for broader assessment.
- Can this identify Asperger syndrome?
- The CAST was originally called the Childhood Asperger Syndrome Test and is sensitive to traits previously described as Asperger syndrome. Under current DSM-5 and ICD-11 criteria, these traits fall within the broader autism spectrum diagnosis.
- My child is 11 — is this still appropriate?
- Yes, CAST is validated for ages 4 to 11. For children aged 12 and above, the AQ-Adolescent is the more suitable instrument.
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