Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39191097›Full record

ArticleComprehensive psychiatry2024

Validation of the camouflaging autistic traits questionnaire short form (CATQ-SF).

Laura Hull, Will Mandy, Hannah Belcher, K V Petrides

Erratum issuedAbstract readValidation Study
In one paragraph

Article in Comprehensive psychiatry, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Camouflaging and autism: Conceptualisation and methodological issues.Autism : the international journal of research and practice · 2026
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Laura HullDepartment of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, UK; Research Department of Clinical, Educational & Health Psychology, University College London, UK. Electronic address: laura.hull@bristol.ac.uk.
Will MandyResearch Department of Clinical, Educational & Health Psychology, University College London, UK.
Hannah BelcherInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, UK.
K V PetridesLondon Psychometric Laboratory, University College London, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCamouflaging of autistic traits involves hiding or compensating for autistic characteristics, often due to stigma or a desire to fit in with others. This behaviour has been associated with mental health issues in autistic individuals. The 2 5-item Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q) is the most commonly used self-report measure of camouflaging. In this study, a 9-item short form version was developed for use in clinical and research settings.

aimsTo construct and psychometrically validate a brief self-report measure of camouflaging.

methodThe Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire - Short Form (CATQ-SF) was developed and its factor structure and psychometric properties were evaluated in two studies. Study 1 used a large, online sample of autistic and non-autistic adults (N = 832) to evaluate the factor structure, psychometric properties, and measurement invariance of the CATQ-SF. Study 2 used an independent sample of autistic and non-autistic adults (N = 80) to test Study 1's findings.

resultsIn Study 1, evidence for a three-factor structure was observed, with good internal consistency (combined autistic & non-autistic α = 0.84). In addition, the instrument demonstrated measurement invariance, and reliably predicted higher levels of autistic traits. In Study 2, the 3-factor structure was replicated, and good internal consistency was again observed (combined autistic and non-autistic α = 0.89). In both studies, psychometric properties were of similar or higher validity compared to the full-form CAT-Q.

conclusionsThe CATQ-SF can be used by clinicians and researchers to measure camouflaging in autistic and non-autistic adults quickly and reliably.

Indexed as

Autistic DisorderPsychometricsAdolescentAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedReproducibility of ResultsSelf ReportSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung AdultAutismCamouflagingMaskingMeasure development

Identifiers

PMID39191097
PMCPMC7619168

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.